My father had all kinds of instruments in the house that he would hide from my mother. He bought them through mail order!

I'm always imagining some sort of story behind the song, even the ones I haven't written. I'm actively engaging in playacting.

I cringed when I heard myself described as a Jazz singer. I've always thought of myself as a Jazz vocalist.

Miles Davis was a master. In every phase of his career, he understood that this music was a tribute to the African muse.

My grandmother sang, too, and she was really loud. It was this wild kind of singing. I count her among my influences.

Being black, I'm involved in the reparations movement. It's focused toward the African-American audience. We could begin to heal.

There was a train that would come by our house every night, and I'd hear the whistle blow. That is the sweetest memory I have.