I never had much interest in the piano until I realized that every time I played, a girl would appear on the piano bench to my left and another to my right.

In music, as you develop a theme or musical idea, there are many points at which directions must be decided, and at any time I was in the throes of debate with myself, harmonically or melodically, I would turn to Billy Strayhorn. We would talk, and then the whole world would come into focus. The steady hand of his good judgment pointed to the clear way that was fitting for us. He was not, as he was often referred to by many, my alter ego. Billy Strayhorn was my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brainwaves in his head, and his in mine.

A musical profit outweighs a financial loss.

Music is my mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one.

The Europeans who went to Africa came back with “modern' art. What is more African than a Picasso?

I'm sure critics have their purpose, and they're supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what he did.

A goal is a dream with a finish line.