Mom did not want me to have anything to do with playing music. Being from a middle-class Black family in that particular era, everybody wanted you to….

We're talking about an extremely prolific poet and songwriter and lyricist. That stuff comes off the top of her head. She [Joni Mitchell] will write ….

If they [the crowd at The Apollo Theater] don't like you, they will let you know. When you didn't have any talent, they would let you know about it -….

Then, on my way to California, I decided to stop in New York to do some research. I couldn't leave, because that's where the music was!.

I grew up learning this stuff on the streets of New York. My brother and I used to play in the subway for money..

I grew up in New York. We were all diversified, as far as music was concerned. I grew up liking just about everything. So I tried to incorporate that….

She [Joni Mitchell] wanted to have that (jazz) element in her music. Of course, when she heard Jaco's [Jaco Pastorius'] music and met him, that floor….