An artist should write for himself & not for an audience. If the audience likes it, great. If not, they can keep away.

If you don’t see the wonder in the most ordinary phenomenon, you’re not going to resonate very much.

The bandleader is a musician trying to sell a mass commodity; and in order to do so successfully he must accommodate himself to mass standards. Unless he can do this comfortably, sooner or later he is sunk.

'Swing' is an adjective or a verb, not a noun. All jazz musicians should swing. There is no such thing as a 'swing band' in music.

Jazz was born out of the whiskey bottle, was raised on marijiana, and will expire on cocaine.

If I could have done anything more, it would have been less

If you wanna dance, a windshield wiper'll do it-all you need is a beat.