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.

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.

You can't compete with Sweets' sound and time feel. It's impossible.

Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery

If you're trying to be hip, be hip.

...people will go for anything they don't understand if it's got enough hype. They want to be hip, want always to be in on the new thing so they don't look unhip. White people are especially like that, particularly when a black person is doing something they don't understand...That's what I thought was happening when Ornette hit town.

Monk taught me more about music composition than anyone else on 52nd Street.