After every war, there was a significant change in the music, and I can understand how that happened. If you participate in protecting the country, you think you can be part of it, but you come back home and it's worse than ever.

Playing the game, and unfortunately, playing the gangster game is very profitable.

I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain't that the truth."

I went with Lionel Hampton for three years. Out of that came a trip to Europe.

I tell my kids and I tell proteges, always have humility when you create and grace when you succeed, because its not about you. You are a terminal for a higher power. As soon as you accept that, you can do it forever.

Billy Strayhorn wrote Multicolored Blue. Billy to me is the boss of the arrangers.

My dream is to put together a performance of the evolution of black music with Cirque du Soleil . I would also like to do street opera and children's books. But even as I work toward these things, I want to simplify my life.