Jazz is the only unhampered, unhindered expression of complete freedom yet produced in this country.

It's like an act of murder-you play with intent to commit something.

I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.

Fate is being kind to me. Fate doesn't want me to be too famous too young.

Critics have their purposes, and they're supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did.

Playing 'bop' is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.

By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn't want your daughter to associate with.

Critics get a little carried away with what someone should have done, rather than what he did.

Gray skies are just clouds passing over.