Being a musician is what I do, but it's not what I am.

It's not the style that motivates me, as much as an attitude of openness that I have when I go into a project.

Buddhism has turned me on to my humanness, and is challenging my humanness so that I can become more human.

People are afraid to spend money now because they dont know how long theyre going to be working.

I hope that I can make good music out of whatever genre I go into. Just to prove to myself that I can.

Most people define themselves by what they do - 'I'm a musician.' Then one day it occurred to me that I'm only a musician when I'm playing music - or writing music, or talking about music. I don't do that 24 hours a day. I'm also a father, a son, a husband, a citizen - I mean, when I go to vote, I'm not thinking of myself as 'a musician.'

Oscar Peterson is the greatest living influence on jazz pianists today.