I Like To Think Of Music As

The Composer Does Not Sit Around And Wait For An Inspiration To Walk Up And Introduce Itself...making Music Is Actually Little Else Than A Matter Of Invention Aided And Abetted By Emotion. In Composing We Combine What We Know Of Music With What We Feel.

Jazz I Regard As An American Folk Music; Not The Only One, But A Very Powerful One Which Is Probably In The Blood And Feeling Of The American People More Than Any Other Style Of Folk Music.

True Music Must Repeat The Thought And Inspirations Of The People And The Time.

All These Tales Of People Sitting Down And Composing Symphonies Just As Though They Were Writing A Letter Are Very Much Exaggerated; At Least, It Isn't That Way In My Work.

Jazz Is The Result Of The Energy Stored Up In America.