By The Time I Was Eight I

As Far As Piano Players Are Concerned, Oscar Peterson Is My Very Favorite. I Also Like Mccoy Tyner. I Think That The Big Jazz Stars, Both Now And In The Past...how Shall I Say It? These Guys Are As Great As Bach, Beethoven; All Of Them. People Don't Know It Yet. If Jazz Survives And Is Put On A Pedestal As An Art Form, The Same As Classical Music Has Been Through The Years, A Hundred Years From Now The Kids Will Know Who They Were, With That Kind Of Respect.

Theory And Harmony Broadened My Mind In Music. I Know What Music Is Made Of.

Jazz Is A White Term To Define Black People. My Music Is Black Classical Music.

As I Got Older Though I Wanted A Life Of My Own. The Classical Training Was Very Demanding And Thorough. It Was A Very Sheltered Existence. Even Though I Heard Blues And Gospel On The Radio Sometimes, It Was Always Back To The Piano And Study And Give Recitals.

I Was Always A Politician From The Day The Civil Rights People Chose Me As Their Protest Singer.