If you're going to drop behind, you have to keep it there.

I would never try and play like Harry James, because I don't like his tone - for me. It's just white. You know what I mean? He has what we black trumpet players call a white sound. But it's for white music ... I can tell a white trumpet player, just listening to a record. There'll be something he'll do that'll let me know that he's white.

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--?

Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is.

Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around.

I mean, it makes me sick when I see a white man sitting there smiling at me being entertaining, man. When I know what he's gonna do after he gets through. You know, when you see that thing on their face - like: "Entertain me." You know what I mean? Even the black guy that's trying to be white - even he can have that crap on his face.

I was minding my own business when something says to me, "you ought to blow trumpet." I have just been trying ever since.