There are no wrong notes.

It's a different ballgame now, so that lets [teo] Macero out. He's always complainin', always sick.

At least one day out of the year all musicans should just put their instruments down, and give thanks to Duke Ellington.

[Jazz musicians] feel comfortable with their clichés, you know.

Lionel [Richie] said, "Yeah, I learned chords and stuff playin' against your albums."

I can't write anything for myself. I can write when I hear like [John] Coltrane play something; I used to write chords and stuff for him to play in one bar. I can write for other people, but I don't never write for myself.

My ego only needs a good rhythm section