I know all the Latin-American rhythms quite well, but I don't play them exactly like they do in their own country - I add my personal touch.

We loved one another, man. I mean all those stories about the rift ... there was no question of a rift between Charlie Parker and me.

They're not particular whether you're playing a flat 5th or a ruptured 129th as long as they can dance.

I used to do a lot of apologizing for what the State Department had done.

I think the idea is now for blacks to write about the history of our music. It's time for that, because whites have been doing it all the time. It's time for us to do it ourselves and tell it like it is.

I was blessed that I got married early and had a good wife. That sort of kept me straight. Probably I would have been like Charlie Parker, you know, involved in drugs or alcohol or something like that if I hadn't had this stability.

I know all the Latin-American rhythms quite well, but I don't play them exactly like they do in their own country - I add my personal touch.