If anybody was Mr. Jazz it was Louis Armstrong. He was the epitome of jazz and always will be. He is what I call an American standard, an American original. ... I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues. ... I don't need time, I need a deadline. ...There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind. ... Music is my mistress, and she plays second fiddle to no one.

There are two kinds of worries - those you can do something about and those you can't. Don't spend any time on the latter.

It's like an act of murder - you play with intent to commit something.

Tomorrow is in the wings waiting for you to sound her entrance fanfare.

Without a deadline, baby, I wouldn't do nothing.

Playing 'bop' is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.

Yet, every time God's children have thrown away fear in pursuit of honesty-trying to communicate themselves, understood or not, miracles have happened.