I don't think I will ever do any tours again in the United States. I rather think that that's over with.

My juices needed restoring. I needed a sabbatical from the record business.

You will always find a few people in any area that would like things done completely their way.

As long as we're in a democracy, I have to give what I think the majority of people will enjoy.

Jazz is America's own. It is played and listened to by all peoples - in harmony together. Pigmentation differences have no place... as in genuine democracy, only performance counts.

The history of all big jazz bands shows was, first they played for dancing, and then they played for singing.

Germany is probably the richest country in Western Europe. Yet they wouldn't take any television with Duke and Ella, their reaction being that people weren't interested in it.