I had never thought that I would be involved in narrative structures. As a young guy, I was more interested in abstract modeling. But as I got older, I began to see that there was no reason to limit myself to any intellectual or conceptual postulate, when in fact I'm a professional student of music.

The word music is a convenient way to talk about what I'm interested in, but actually, in some ways, it's a limitation.

I thank the Creator of the universe to have discovered the discipline of music was the greatest gift that I could have been given, the possibility to be a student working in the world.

There is more to creative mastership than the surface of satisfaction and political certainty. The music of Joe Fonda is part of a living tradition of belief and dedication. Future historians will be surprised at the breadth of Mr. Fonda's offerings. This is a real virtuoso and composer of the highest order.

I am viewed as the Negro who has gone outside of the categories assigned to me.

My work has been marginalized as far as the jazz-business complex is concerned, or the contemporary-music complex.

...I have great hopes for the possibility of a dynamic universalism that respects all our people.