I didn't ask my mother to buy me a trumpet or a violin, I started right on the water hose.

You don't see the European classical musicians allowing the music of Bach, Brahms, or Beethoven to become extinct. That music has gone on for centuries and centuries. We have the same obligation. Why do we have to become so 'hip' that we can say, 'Bebop is square,' or New Orleans is square'? This, to me, is a shame.

We are all driven by an invisible whip. Some run, some have fun, some are hip, some tip, some dip, but we all must answer to the invisible whip.

What about a blues in W, in the key of W.

I wish we could just stay on the bandstand, it's so peaceful up here.