If I have a dynamite bass player - I have Darryl Jones - it's so easy to write for him because he's such a funky kid and he's gifted. He's like a little genius.

What's swinging in words? If a guy makes you pat your foot and if you feel it down your back, you don't have to ask anybody if that's good music or not. You can always feel it.

It's like, how did Columbus discover America when the Indians were already here? What kind of s-- is that, but white people's s--?

You have to be born with it. You can't even buy it. If you could buy it, they'd have it at the next Newport Festival.

Joao Gilberto on guitar could read a newspaper and sound good.

I like Stan [Getz], because he has so much patience, the way he plays those melodies - other people can't get nothing out of a song, but he can, which takes a lot of imagination.

I said to [Lionel] Richie, "Man, my wife says you must really respect women because you write such beautiful love songs."