When I heard Charlie Parker, I knew that that was going to be the new wave, the new way to play jazz. From that point on, I was sold with... the idea of bebop.

Charlie Parker and Art Tatum to me were genius, and I'm right below that. I did, in my own way, do something different on the instrument, and that's the way I'd like to be remembered.

Artie Shaw was way ahead of most clarinetists and most jazz players.

I didn't know what the hell Charlie Parker was playing... I just liked the way he played.

When you're playing jazz, you have to somehow overcome that feeling of being intimidated because your aim is to portray that freedom in what you're playing.

Mozart was born Mozart. Charlie Parker was born Charlie Parker.