The bandstand is a sacred place.

The reason why the music [jazz] is important is because it's an art form-an ancient art form-that takes in the mythology of our people.

What takes its place is very dry education. And the tools that actually can teach you - singing and playing, learning how to participate with other people, spiritual richness - are replaced with a big emphasis on how to memorize things. That's such an incomplete education. Survival of the fittest used to mean being bigger and stronger.

Those who play for applause....Tha t’s all they get.

If you want to be different, do something different.

When it comes to songs and music, yeah, people love to sing and dance and play music and tunes, and that stream of consciousness that exists in music, nobody knows where that comes from.

The real power of Jazz is that a group of people can come together and create improvised art and negotiate their agendas... and that negotiation is the art