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.

When I grow up I want to be just like Benny Carter!

Jazz will be the classical music of the future.

I don't care much about music. What I like is sounds.

There are a lot of great players... a lot of great players around, but Louie Bellson is really something special.

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

I try to play the bare essence, to let everything be just what it's supposed to be in that particular spot...You have many things to pick from when you're playing, so you try to train yourself to pick out the best things that you know.