Marian McPartland

The house is in turmoil with records on every space. In the kitchen and in the dining room is covered with records. I don't have a big enough house to accommodate everything.

I have a West Coast rhythm section and a New York rhythm section. I've got them spread out all over the place.

Nowadays it seems to me nobody takes trouble about anything, especially writing songs.

At the risk of being a fuddy-duddy I don't have a computer; I don't have e-mail; and I really don't need something in my house that I would be sitting in front of for hours.

By the way, I got a Grammy, which was a big thrill.

I love to play in the different keys like B or F sharp, or keys that most people don't play in, because they have a better resonance or something. I'm really not fond of F and C. I just stay away from those if I can.

Baldwin is sort of getting to be a bit funny. I don't know what happened, but a few years ago they suddenly went bankrupt and Gibson bought the whole outfit. Since then they haven't seemed to be doing an awfully good job of providing pianos.

Well it's because the record companies are pumping away with their commercial stuff. I think it's a shame.

I'd just as soon be on a good Steinway or Yamaha just as well.

It's awful to have to, but I've started thinking about that, you know. 86. I'm thinking, well, maybe I might make it to 90. At least I'd like to have my brains.

That's something Mary Lou Williams used to tell me: If you're not feeling right about what you're doing and you play a minor tune it all comes back, falls into place. I don't know if that's true, but I do it.

As long as I can still be on my own and do my own thing and be working full time, it's great.