I think of these things as obstacles rather than opportunities, because if they were opportunities it means I actually took the business of doing them seriously. To take myself too seriously is the gentle kiss of death.

The silence between the notes is the good part for me. I find that to be a very important part of music that is often lacking.

The blues ain't nothing but a good man feelin' bad.

The only thing that interests me is history - reviewing the past and making something out of it.

I extract what I consider the best material from different sources. But often the material I perform comes from a very strange location in history, which are minstrel shows.

It can even be a single note which defines the entire song.

I've got a very behind-the-scenes personality. I don't know how I became a performer. I like to stay discreet, out of the public eye, very low-key.