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

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?

Life has many changes. Tomorrow it may rain, and it's supposed to be sunshine, 'cause it's summertime. But God's got a funny soul, he plays like Charlie Parker.

Bach is how buildings got taller. It's how we got to the moon.

I was always doing revolutionary things, things that would alert people, so they would stop being so subservient.

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.

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