First You Imitate, Then You Innovate.

Drummers - Sometimes They Play And They Listen. And That Little Listen Takes A Speck Away From The Right Tempo.

Look, Man, All I Am Is A Trumpet Player.

If You Make A Suggestion And [musicians] Don't Know What You Mean, You Have To Be Able To Do It Yourself. I Often Sit Down On Drums And Show 'em Just Exactly What I Want. And I Do It And Then Say, "how Do You Do That?" It's Because I Know How It Looks, I Know What I Want To Hear, And I Don't Drop Or Rush Any Tempo. It Ain't In My Body, It Ain't In My Nephew's Body.

If You Got Up On The Bandstand At Minton's And Couldn't Play, You Were Not Only Going To Be Embarrassed By The People Ignoring You Or Booing You, You Might Get Your Ass Kicked.

It's Not The Note You Play That's The Wrong Note - It's The Note You Play Afterwards That Makes It Right Or Wrong.