I have always been a person who is concerned with the dignity of jazz music and the way jazz musicians have been treated and are treated, and the fact that the music has not been given the kind of due that it deserves.

I am a person who thinks about the music first in trying to achieve something musically valid.

I think we are in the midst of this period where we are committing this suicide on the planet and everybody is just using up all of our natural resources like a bunch of insane people. That's what I worry about more than I worry about jazz.

Jazz is the type of music that can absorb so many things and still be jazz.

I am interested in my music lasting only while I'm alive. I'm not writing for the future.

The thing is this: When I play, what I try to do is to reach my subconscious level. I don't want to overtly think about anything, because you can't think and play at the same time - believe me, I've tried it (laughs).

There have been many great musicians that, Clifford Brown is one great example, I mean he died very early, 25.