I always like to play very contemporary concepts of swing right next to New Orleans music because it highlights continuum.

Don't worry about what others say about your music. Pursue whatever you are hearing... but if everybody really hates your music maybe you could try some different approaches.

Don't settle for style. Succeed in substance.

We no longer want to be a melting pot, because we don't understand what is already melted.

The fact that we are culturally ignorant and we don't know what our heritage is, the price that we pay is that we act outside of ourselves almost all the time. We make very bad decisions how we deal with other people and their culture.

I had to figure out how to survive in New York, and most of my time was occupied in getting an apartment and getting money. A lot of older jazz guys looked out for me and found me gigs and places to stay.

There's the tradition in jazz of having the “Battle of the Bands” and you do not want to get your head cut when you're playing.