I wished the president [Barack Obama] were more "Martin Luther King-like."

I want to be a jazzman until the day I die. To help keep that motion, momentum and movement going, for myself, for my students, for the people who hear me. Oh sure, some days you look around at this country and look at the evidence and think, Oh Lord, don't look good. But you keep moving. You gotta keep moving.

I take my fundamental cue from John Coltrane that says there must be a priority of integrity, honesty, decency, and mastery of craft.

Martin Luther King was a victim of surveillance, and had great solidarity with victims of surveillance.

Being a Christian is not a political orientation for the president, but he is a centrist.

All you have is a gift a to give.

To be human you must bear witness to justice.