Ninety-nine percent of the music that was of any interest to me when I was growing up came out of the black community.

In regard to music, I just think that it's always best to have an attitude of being a perpetual student and always look to learn something new about music, because there's always something new to learn.

Music is just kind of an expression of who I am. It's what I do.

Instrumental music is increasingly marginalized and there's just no outlet, there's no venue for it, in terms of media.

You never get it figured out. You just keep playing.

I think 'Horace Silver' was actually the first live jazz group I ever heard back when I was a kid in St. Louis. So along with most players of my generation, I have a real affection for the music of 'Horace Silver.

I have pretty ecumenical tastes. I'm interested in a lot of different kinds of music, so I don't listen with a jaundiced ear to music because it's in a certain category, whether it's country or opera or hip-hop or bebop or whatever it is.