As long as there are people trying to play music in a sincere way, there will be some jazz.

It’s very demanding to make up your own music.

That’s kind of my goal: to build a new row of meaningful tones.

I’d like to feel that whatever I play is a result of whatever I’ve heard.

I could stop and say, Well that was a D minor, G seven, but I really don’t want to know that. I just want to know that there’s a combination of notes that makes a sound.

I love Indian music very much, but I haven’t studied that specifically.

After playing now for 60 years, it’s still very challenging for me to play a simple melody and have it clean and touch the reed at the proper time in the proper way.

Benny Goodman was one of the big influences as a clarinet player. That’s why I wanted the clarinet.

I have been able to get a small audience. It’s not the huge audience, but it’s enough to make it possible to play. I appreciate that.

Bernstein grew up in my building in New York. He’s a very, very fine player. When he was a kid, he came by to find out what was going on in the world of jazz.