Of course, there are a lot of ways you can treat the blues, but it will still be the blues.

I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.

If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!

Of course, there are a lot of ways you can treat the blues, but it will still be the blues.

If a guy is gonna to play good bop, he has to have a sort of a bop soul.

I got everything I wanted. When I was young in Kansas City, I knew nothing about Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, of all those concert halls, of all those countries. I did not know what it was like to direct a band... All I wanted was to be big, to be in show-business, and to travel...and that's what I've been doing all my life.

I just think swing is a matter of some good things put together that you can really pat your foot by. I can't define it beyond that.