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.

Most of the soloists at Birdland had to wait for Parker's next record in order to find out what to play next. What will they do now?

I was born swinging and clapped my hands in church as a little boy, but I've grown up and I like to do things other than just swing. But blues can do more than just swing.

Jazz is the language of the emotions.

Thelonius Monk went over to Bird and Bud Powell and said, 'I told you guys to act crazy, but I didn't tell you to fall in love with the act. You're really crazy now.'

Everything I do is Mingus.

I never heard my music played the way I heard it in my head.