The value of music is not dazzling yourself and others with technique.

Jazz is a music that is open enough to borrow from any other form of music, and has the strength to influence any other form of music.

You make different colors by combining those colors that already exist.

In the past, there's always been one leader that has led the pack to development of the music.

Jazz translates the moment into a sense of inspiration for not only the musicians but for the listeners.

I have to care and I have to be honest and have the courage to be vulnerable. If that happens, then that's the best I can do. To just be a puppet for the audience is not very courageous. Just to do whatever they say they want - because a lot of times people will hear something new that they hadn't heard before and get turned on by a new experience and will want to hear more of that.

The strongest thing that any human being has going is their own integrity and their own heart. As soon as you start veering away from that, the solidity that you need in order to be able to stand up for what you believe in and deliver what's really inside, it's just not going to be there.