My people have very subtle slang, inflections and ways of saying things that has little to do with words. If you're from the same place, you'll feel the jargon and know exactly what's happening. Same with any neighborhood cat. What he sees and hears and feels and lives makes him what he is. That's what blues is.

How do you explain what it feels like to get on the stage and make poetry that you know sinks into the hearts and souls of people who are unable to express it

You've got to learn to leave the table When love's no longer being served".

I love to travel to hear different kinds of music.

I don't like to go to strange places. I was in Italy for about five hours on my way to Africa.

Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music.

I made wine from the lilac tree/Put my heart in its recipe/It makes me see what I want to see/And be what I want to be