Commercialism that has absolutely no relationship to quality whatsoever, only quantitative assessment of a thing.

Even in these times, there are still neighbors that will turn their backs on neighbors.

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

I'll write down and catalogue all the different devices that are Americana to me, and I try to have a historic depth and breadth and also the things that we do in our time, the type of vamps and chants, things that are available to us.

Blues is like the roux in a gumbo. People ask me if jazz always has the blues in it. I say, if it sounds good it does.

When you study our greatest artists, you will find that they give us a key to understand how to deal with each other, and that our bloodlines are intertwined. It's not hyphenated America. That there is an America, and it is expressed in those arts. It gives us a key to figure out how to negotiate with each other, and it tells us actually who we are.

Thank the good Lord for a job.