"As long as there are musicians who have a passion for spontaneity, for creating something that's never been before, the art form of jazz will flourish."

"I've got a collection of songs that I've had, I keep adding to and they're all great American composers. I wanted to showcase American composers and I've done that on a lot of my records and played things by American composers that I really respect."

"I just see myself as a human being that's concerned about life."

"There's like a special group of people that come from different parts of the planet to study with me. It's nice. I just gave a workshop in Boston at the New England Conservatory, which was really nice."

"Survival is nothing more than recovery."

"I look at my little girl and I wonder what she's going to be and what she's going to do and what is it that leads girls certain directions in life. I think a lot of that goes back to what kind of father they had, and so it makes me want to be the best dad I can possibly be."

"The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks."

"It is a steadfast truth that time is the most impartial judge; it reveals all pretenses and rewards all patience — an essential principle for the reflective life."