Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.

Our nights didn't begin until after noon. Because in the old days, you'd start Birdland at 8:30 or 9 pm and play until 4 in the morning. Then you'd go out to the corner and talk to a couple of musicians - I used to talk to Oscar Pettiford a whole lot - you'd stand there till 7, 8 or 9, or else go down to the jam session at Minton's.

I'm too busy playing. When I'm playing I don't pay attention to who's listening. When I was listening I listened to symphony orchestras, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Stravinsky. You don't listen to one instrument; you listen to music.

If you think this is weird, just look at yourselves.

Let my children have music! Let them hear live music.

Whatever coast he's on, a man should be himself. I don't write in any particular idiom, I write Charles Mingus.

Just because I'm playing jazz I don't forget about me. I play or write me, the way I feel, through jazz, or whatever.