Music is either good or bad, and it's got to be learned. You got to have balance.

The way they are treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell!

As many bands as you heard [in New Orleans], that's how many bands you heard playing right. I thought I was in Heaven playing second trumpet in the Tuxedo Brass Band -- and they had some funeral marches that would just touch your heart, they were so beautiful.

All them weird chords which don't mean a thing...you got no melody to remember, and no beat to dance to

If you don't understand it, don't mess with it.

If it hadn't been for Jazz, there wouldn't be no rock and roll.

Unless you know what it is I ain't never going to be able to explain it to you.