Some musicians play blues, others classical jazz or bluegrass. I like to play political roles because I can merge my political interests with my creative interests.

You're a master on blues piano. The real deal.

I like New York because you're kind of forced to smell everybody else's funk. So it keeps you biologically attached to the world around you.

The great thing about movies is that they're collaborative. And the worst thing is that they're collaborative.

When you go to a restaurant, the less you know about what happens in the kitchen, the more you enjoy your meal.

Shaft was a pop culture figure along t he lines of, I guess, Dirty Harry - except that he wasn't as much of a racist. So yeah, I was always a fan.

I'm not sure whether Los Angeles borders on the ocean or on oblivion. I always feel that I'm two steps away from the other side when I'm out there. It's more like a vacation place or a place to visit than a place to hunker down.