This all came of a conversation I had with [John] Steinbeck once when we were standing in a men's room somewhere. Steinbeck asked me why I didn't play the banjo any more and I told him that went out with the high-button shoes.

They flat their fifths, we drink ours.

As it enters the ear, does it come in like broken glass, or does it come in like honey?

Paul Desmond sounds like a female alcoholic.

[Louis Armstrong] could play a trumpet like nobody else, then put it down and sing a song like no one else could.

Finally Beiderbecke came out with a silver cornet. He put it to his lips and blew a phrase. The sound came out like a girl saying 'yes'.

For a bad hangover take the juice of two quarts of whisky.