You know, when you've established a certain thing, what can you do? You're stuck with it.

When Hank Jones had his night off, I would get somebody to take my place as intermission pianist and I'd play the show with Ella, so I would get a chance to play with Ray Brown and Charlie Smith as well.

Can anybody be given creativity? No. Only equipment to develop it if it's in them in the first place.

Perfect retention. I dont think I could do that-Ive never disciplined myself to do it.I suppose a lot of it is a question of discipline. Which improvisation is not.

My affiliation with England is borne out by the fact that I do come back for periodic visits.

Learn the rules and then break them in such a way as to exercise good taste.

If you establish an identity, you build a monster-and thats right, youve got to live with it. Of course, you can enjoy it, too.