Sustained intensity equals ecstacy.

I feel that for years of teaching in the country and reading criticism in books, I feel like the things most needed in our culture are the understanding of the meanings of our music. We haven't done that good of job teaching our kids what our music means or how we developed our taste in music that reminds us and teaches us who we are.

New Orleans had a great tradition of celebration. Opera, military marching bands, folk music, the blues, different types of church music, ragtime, echoes of traditional African drumming, and all of the dance styles that went with this music could be heard and seen throughout the city. When all of these kinds of music blended into one, jazz was born.

Jazz is democracy in music.

Music is always for the listener, but the first listener is always the musician

I believe in professionalism, but playing is not like a job. You have to be grateful to have the opportunity to play.

I wanted to make somebody feel like Coltrane made me feel, listening to it.