I had a 10-year heroin habit and kicked that. Then I became an alcoholic. I drank two fifth's a day.

When I'm alcohol-free now and even to see the world around me, I appreciate it, but I never truly enjoy too much of it maybe because I feel like I'm a working musician. There are some joyous moments, but I will not think a joyous moment.

A good quartet is like a good conversation among friends interacting to each other's ideas.

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

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

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 appreciate men like Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins very much.