I cannot play a lie. I have to believe in what I play or it won't come out.

I compulsively reach for perfection in music, often at the expense of everything else in my life.

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

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.

I learn something new every day - to edit, to take out all the extraneous matter and stress form, logic, and content. I try to play beautiful music.

Records used to be documents, but now record companies want product.

I'm a recovered alcoholic. I don't do anything anymore, but those things, those things take away ... You're a different personality completely when you take those. For those who are really chemically dependent on anything, it's not you.