The only reason is that I hadn't seen The Modern Jazz Quartet perform live and a live performance is often where the real experience of jazz takes place. I'm not familiar with the Boswell Sisters.

Ignorance is not something that lends itself to a meaningful discussion.

I think I did very well against everyone who tried to defend me.

The Sixties was a perfect storm of disaffection with political leaders trying to pass off the same old platitudes to maintain the status quo and an unexpected courageousness in the masses of youth. Nothing on this scale had ever happened before in U.S. history and it hasn't happened since.

I have always thought that writers come with any variety of attributes. Some are capable and some aren't.

I was latching on to something that was part of my heritage, because many of the slaves who were brought here were Moslems.

Either because I was an athlete or because I was black - probably both - there seemed to be a clear assumption that I wouldn't be up to the work.