When I first came to New York everybody on the scene would treat me like I could play but I couldn't.

Jazz music creates so many phenomenal figures.

Milk in a mother's breast-that's cool. Milk in a mouth-that's cool too. But milk in my trumpet? Not so cool. I have to play that thing.

It's really not a stretch. The checks and balances are the same. The drums are the executive branch. The jazz orchestra is the legislative branch. Logic and reason are like jazz solos. The bass player is the judicial branch. One our greatest ever is Milt Hinton, and his nickname is "The Judge."

There was one thing Beethoven didn't do. When one of his string quartets was played, you can believe the second violin wasn't improvising.

This rebuilding of New Orleans gives us the perfect opportunity to see if we're ready to extend the legacy of Dr. King.

When did we begin to lose faith in our ability to effect change?