Because if you've got the wit, you can make anything into a melody, ultimately.

Miles Davis is one who writes songs when he plays.

Only the French, I guess, really use tenor and alto to any great extent in the orchestra

The first reason for starting to do the symphony concerts was to play this new piece of mine.

When we've finished the current tour I'm going to go back to Italy and see if I can do some more writing.

When [Billy] Strayhorn came on the scene, he just blew us away.

I like what I hear other guys doing, but the thing that really attracts me is melodic playing.