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

I guess I'm fortunate that I'm still around and I emphasize 'I guess', because you never can tell what musicians would be playing had they been around as long as I have.

Even the most jingoistic person would have to admit that even American cultural music comes from Europe. That's what classical music is, real European music.

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

It's all about creation and surprise. It just needs to be appreciated and watered like flowers. You have to water flowers. These peaks will come again.

I miss playing with Miles. I did play with him a little while before he left the planet, but even at that time I longed to maybe do some things together.

I feel that Jazz improvisation is the ultimate. You have to create on the spot, the essence of this music.