We accept so many things that come through the media; we get used to them, however vigilant we are. But for any creative art, you have to remain 110% conscious, and in a world that's losing consciousness, that's getting harder.

... The 'cleverness' syndrome has taken the place of melody. It's like everyone has come down with this terrible disease in jazz....you are always expected to do your own material, which is a strange thing to do if you're a poor composer but a great player.

I actually get a metallic taste in my mouth when I think about electric music.

One thing you learn: if you want to reveal yourself, you also have to know where to stop.

When you're on stage you have a very strange knowledge of what the audience is. It isn't exactly a sound - it's a hum, like the streets.

I believe that a truly valuable artist must be an artist who realizes the impossibility of his task -and then continues to do it.

If I'm not a jazz player all the time, I've at least been cued in to what I do by jazz.