Jazz is not background music. You must concentrate in order to get the most out of it. You must absorb it.

I will search for hidden talents that I didn't know I had and do my best to cultivate them. I am grateful for each day, and I will try to use each day as a stepping stone to greater achievements.

Musical composition should bring happiness and joy to people and make them forget their troubles.

We all have to open our minds, stretch forth, take chances and venture out musically to try and arrive at something new and different.

Jazz is not background music.

Basically my influences have been American influences. It's been blues, gospel, swing era music, bebop music, Broadway show music, classical music.

The ensemble playing is as clean as a whistle. The band plays in tune and with dynamics. Also, there is some fine arranging and orchestrating going on here, and the soloists perform at top level.

I personally do not believe in politics, hatred, or anger in my musical composition.

Well sure, who doesn't need a boyfriend? but realistically, those exotic creatures are hard to come by. At least a quality one.

Civilization is a myth. That is the truth this world has taught us. We have not risen above our baser instincts... That is what always has and always will drive us.

Acquiring new knowledge has been crucial for survival over the millennia.

We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country -- its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.

Once in the midst of a seemingly endless winter, I discovered within myself an invincible spring.

Capitalism has been really good to me. I'm very fortunate: I have written books and my books have sold.

Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change our perspective of your day and your life.

Before our race, nationality, or religion, we are all human beings. Let's celebrate our differences and not fight over them.

Let us not depend upon the world for pleasure.

Sometimes when you're editing a movie, you have the thing that you don't expect - which is you make it longer and longer as you go along.