I played in rhumba bands, mickey mouse bands; all kinds of bands.

I never have any trouble playing anything I can think of. The trouble is in thinking of what to play.

My dark sound could be heard across a room clearer than somebody with a reedy sound. It had more projection. My sound always seemed to fill a room.

You don't rehearse jazz to death to get the camera angles.

There are four qualities essential to a great jazzman. they are taste, courage, individuality, and irreverence.

Other than conversation, no other art form can give the satisfaction of spontaneous interaction like Jazz.

I came from an era when we didn't use electronic instruments. The bass wasn't even amplified. The sound was the sound you got.