It is hard to think of another composer who so perfectly marries form and passion.

I've been all over the world and I've never seen a statue of a critic.

What [Louis Armstrong] does is real, and true, and honest, and simple, and even noble. Every time this man puts his trumpet to his lips, even if only to practice three notes, he does it with his whole soul.

It would be nice to hear someone accidentally whistle something of mine, somewhere, just once.

Wine snobbery, of course, is part showmanship, part sophistication, part knowledge, and part bluff

Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time... The wait is simply too long.

I believe in people. I feel, love, need and respect people above all else, including natural scenery, organized piety and nationalistic superstructures. One human figure on the slope of a mountain can make the mountain disappear for me, one person fighting for truth can disqualify for me the entire system which had dispensed it.