Trumpet players are just belligerant, and cocky, and you know, just hard-headed.

You don't try to duplicate certain things that other cats do, because you could never do it as well as they do. Nobody can get on that tenor saxophone and play like Trane, because he's the only one who can spell out chords and sound good when he does it.

The heart of a music is its rhythm. The heart of rhythm section music is the rhythm.

I dress up a certain way because I respect the music.

Instead of imposing your will on every situation...focus on including everyone else, and just that little adjustment of attitude gives you the space to understand where and who you are.

No particular music makes me feel nostalgic. If it's great, it just keeps me in the present moment. That level of music is like a classic story, like the Iliad-something so perfect it can never be old.

Everything comes out in blues music: joy , pain , struggle . Blues is affirmation with absolute elegance.