I was young, too, ... It was new for both of us.

Jazz stands for freedom. It's supposed to be the voice of freedom: Get out there and improvise, and take chances, and don't be a perfectionist - leave that to the classical musicians.

After the Second World War, I returned to California to study composition with Darius Milhaud, who wrote wonderful works like 'Le Boeuf sur le Toit' and 'La Cretion du Monde.' I especially enjoy his work for two pianos, 'Scaramouche.'

I wanted to be like my father, who was a cattle man and a rodeo roper. And that was - he was my hero, and I wanted to be more like him.

[? Dave Brubeck and Marian McPartland, two masters of the jazz piano, Friday.] It's always an event, when she's there, ... She's a wonderful pianist.

It has taken me almost 60 years finally to compose something I wanted to write when I was a young soldier in Europe.