I always thought that no matter what kind of work people did, they should involve themselves totally with all the discrimination they ran into.

It (jazz) isn't like it used to be. The guys aren't together. They're all separated. Individuals now. Bird was a symbol. It was a clique, a clique of people. Who all believed in one thing: gettin' high. And playin'.

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

I'm trying to play the truth of what I am. The reason it's difficult is because I'm changing all the time.

I am Charles Mingus, half black man, not even white enough to pass for nothing but black. I am Charles Mingus, a famed jazzman, but not famed enough to make a living in this society.

Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.

If Charlie Parker were a Gunslinger, There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats