In high school I was best in music class on the trumpet, but the prizes went to the boys with blue eyes. I made up my mind to outdo anybody white on my horn.

If you got up on the bandstand at Minton's and couldn't play, you were not only going to be embarrassed by the people ignoring you or booing you, you might get your ass kicked.

If you have a tone like mine that is recognizable. No matter what I play, when you hear my tone you can tell it's me.

That's the way women do. The frown. They want to give you the attitude to approach them back, by giving you a negative vibe.

Don't be afraid of mistakes - There are none.

I couldn't do "What's Love Got To Do With It", Tina Turner because it wasn't the right tempo; so I scratched it from the record. I wanted to do it about a year ago, but something happened.

Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherfucker who plays it is 80 percent.