Jazz is neither specific repertoire, nor academic exercise... but a way of life.

We just can't go and try to turn the clock back, that's not happening anymore. You've got to figure something else out.

These record companies are going to be going out of business pretty soon, because people are just going to be downloading what they want to hear.

Jazz is so difficult. A lot of people think once they've learned these licks they can get up and play them for the rest of their life. But that's not being truthful to the music 'cause it's not developing. Cats you hear that don't make no mistakes? They ain't trying to do nothing. everything they hear is on the mark, but they've played it so many times... I've built a whole career out of making mistakes!

Many times you never know what's going to happen. You'll play songs that you never thought you were going to play.

I'm only involved really right now with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Brass Fantasy.

They were missing all the enthusiasm, the creativity; that whole excitement about the music was lost. A lot of people are really going back looking for that.