And music was a very important part of our lives. The radio was on all day.

People are a lot smarter than anyone gives them credit for being.

Anywhere you had a commerce center, you had a lot of music.

So that when I came from Panama... my family was exiled in 1973 and they went to Miami.

There was a lot of stuff happening in Havana that was being heard and appreciated by New Orleans musicians because of this situation. And vice versa.

Every band had their own distinctive sound, but it was pretty much dancing music and rhythmic music with a tremendous emphasis on copying the Cuban models.

I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of ignorance.