A very few musicians passed across all decades. In terms of trumpet playing, Louis Armstrong does it of course but Sweets [Edison] is right up there too. He is unique, in every sense of the term.

Well, my sister played trumpet. Can you imagine having a sister blowing the trumpet around the house, Fred? And my brother, he played piano. Everybody was playing some kind of music, so it was natural for me to get into it.

Dizzy used to tell me I'm playing too hard. He'd say to not give everything. Miles told me that too.

They always want to sell me as a hard bopper.

When I got started in New York, if you were different from Miles & Dizzy it was very difficult.

I advise all the young kids to not overwork. You can't be out there blowing hard. You have to pace yourself.

Jazz isn't like pop, where you sell millions of records with a hit. Your spirit and soul aren't important in pop music. But jazz is like classical music. If people like you, they'll remember you and you'll last forever.