My own Brubeck Institute in California is turning out fantastic young jazz players, and I know great things will happen.

If I told you all the people that have secretly told me I've influenced them, you'd never believe it, and you'll never see it in print, either.

When you hear Bach or Mozart, you hear perfection. Remember that Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were great improvisers. I can hear that in their music.

I wanted to be like my father, who was a cattle man and a rodeo roper. And that was - he was my hero, and I wanted to be more like him.

When I was first aware that I couldn't read music I didn't know I couldn't read because I could play the music that was in front of me.

Jazz isn't dead yet. It's the underpinning of everything in this country. Whether it's a Broadway show, or fusion, or right on through classical music, if it's coming out of the U.S., it's not going to survive unless it's got some jazz influence.

I'm always hoping for the nights that are inspired where you almost have an out of body experience