Miles Davis is one who writes songs when he plays.

Eliminating the piano means that I've always worked closer with the bass than most players.

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

I've always wanted a C trumpet on top, to have that same kind of facility without shouting.

Now, the instrumentation in the jazz band and the jazz dance band has gone through many evolutions. For instance, in the 'twenties the tradition was two or three saxophones

The Russian composers, especially, tricked the symphony orchestra into the kind of dynamic, rhythmic thing

So I played alto for quite a while until I saved up the money for the baritone