I never got to play with Art [ Blakey], but he was kind and spoke to me a number of times. He said, "You know, the people who are working 40 hours a week. Those are the ones who are really paying dues. Sitting at a desk doing the same thing every day. We're really blessed to do what we do."

Leadership is not just about what you do but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do.

When you experience resistance, you find the lessons that you are meant to learn

Great leaders don't succeed because they are great. They succeed because they bring out the greatness in others.

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

[Winning the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition]definitely opened some doors.

We often have to lose what we thought we wanted to find what God wants for us