Nobody was playing the soprano saxophone and certainly nobody was trying to do anything with it. So I was all alone. I didn't know that at first.

When I came up, it was all about originality and collective research. There is an awful lot of imitation going on now.

Before the work comes to you, you have to invent work.

I think it is in collaboration that the nature of art is revealed.

When I found the music of Monk I finally found music that fit that horn. Every one of his tunes fit it perfectly.

There is an awful lot of what I call recreational jazz going on, where people go out and learn a particular language or style and become real sharks on somebody else's language.

I wanted to be a pianist but it just wasn't my thing. I guess I wanted to stand up rather than sit down.