By giving the public a rich and full melody, distinctly arranged and well played, all the time creating new tone colors and patterns, I feel we have a better chance of being successful. I want a kick to my band, but I don't want the rhythm to hog the spotlight.

We didn't come here to set any fashions in music. We merely came to bring a much-needed touch of home to some lads who have been here a couple of years.

We leaders are criticized for a lot of things. It's always true after a band gets up there and is recognized by the public.

I haven't got a great jazz band and I don't want one. Some of the critics, Down Beat's among them, point their fingers at us and charge us with forsaking real jazz . . . It's all in what you define as 'real jazz.' It happens that to our ears harmony comes first. A dozen colored bands have a better beat than mine. Our band stresses harmony.

Why do you judge me as a musician, John? All I'm interested in is making money.

A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality.

We can speak our honest minds without compromise and without censorship and to each other and to our people. We can take our message directly to our people.

I thought I had swell ideas, and wonderful musicians, but the hell of it, no one else did.