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.

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

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.

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

They always want to sell me as a hard bopper.

I quit drinking, so I can think clear. When you have chop trouble, drinking doesn't help the healing process.

[Lee Morgan] was the only young cat that scared me when he played. He had so much fire and natural feeling. I had more technique, but he had that feeling. People seemed to like him more than they like me at the beginning.