Duke Ellington

I don't believe in the word 'hate.' I believe in the word 'fear.'

I don't believe in the word 'war.' I believe in the word 'peace.'

I don't believe in the word 'death.' I believe in the word 'transition.'

I don't believe in the word 'religion.' I believe in the word 'spirituality.'

I don't believe in the word 'God.' I believe in the word 'love.'

I don't believe in the word 'heaven.' I believe in the word 'here and now.'

I don't believe in the word 'hell.' I believe in the word 'choice.'

I don't believe in the word 'sin.' I believe in the word 'mistake.'

I don't believe in the word 'forgiveness.' I believe in the word 'understanding.'

I don't believe in the word 'justice.' I believe in the word 'compassion.'

Playing 'Bop' is like scrabble with all the vowels missing.

I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.

The essence of jazz is what we do, not what we play.

Love is the greatest thing in the world, and jazz is the next best.

If it sounds good, then it is good.

The difference between a 'good' musician and a 'great' musician is that the great musician knows how to make the audience feel something.

Jazz is not a fight of race against race, but a fight of the individual against the world.

I want to write music that will make people happy, that will make them dance, that will make them forget their troubles.

The wise man listens.

Music is the unspoken language of the heart.