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The real composer thinks about his work the whole time; he is not always conscious of this, but he is aware of it later when he suddenly knows what he will do.

In my view a jazz musician is a great musician.

Any composer who is gloriously conscious that he is a composer must believe that he receives his inspiration from a source higher than himself.

The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.

I learned from my uncle that jazz, like symphony music, was built to last.

I don't really call myself a composer.

I consider myself a composer.

That's the thing: There are so many art songs in jazz. It's a much more rich experience for the singer than people think.

Any conductor who tells you that if he is approached for the directorship of the Chicago Symphony that he's not interested in it, you know perfectly well he's lying.

I am an interpreter of music rather than a composer of it.