If you take a little time, let's say three weeks off, after recording a song, and you listen to it every other day, you're just going to know eventually.

The earth almost looks like it's packed down and dense from so many feet treading over it.

Sometimes I just think we're not meant to fly halfway around the world in a day. That some kind of mutation is going to happen.

If something gets under my own skin, and keeps reoccurring, it starts to take on a certain weight and value, and I think, "I have to put this in the song. I have no choice but to mention Greek Cypriots in this song." It's a little internal challenge to myself. Like creating little imaginary rituals in yourself to help the song go from nonexisting to existing.

It's not set in stone. I like to keep it rolling and changing, and so I am like, "Great, I get to remake my song."

Just don't let the human factor fail to be a factor at all

I think jazz was just seeking respect and validity because a lot of people didn't believe it was a viable art form, and then they got a lot of attention in Europe. A lot of bands that can't catch flies in the US have these followings in Europe, [but] it's less and less the case. American audiences are way more sophisticated and adventurous than anyone thinks that they are.