We had Bob's [Gordon] records, and he's on Clifford Brown's first record as a leader. I believe it was Clifford Brown's first record as a leader and had the original versions of Daahoud and Joy Spring that were arranged by Bob's best friend, the West Coast tenor player named Jack Montrose, who I later met.

When we hear music that we love that changes the world for us, we might as well at least aspire to something like that and aim high. You're probably not going to get beyond your dreams. So you might as well make them big.

[Phil Wood] was a great artist, and he knew things. He could be mildly conversant in several languages.

I think [Phil Wood] didn't suffer fools gladly, but he loved supporting young people that loved the music.

There is a very small chance that you might be really brilliant and really talented.

I was really falling in love with jazz and dedicating myself in that direction.

The best thing you can do is just go and have fun with [competition].