The French Revolution is the ultimate modernist statement. Destroy everything. Don't build on the past. There is no past.

I find respect for a mediocre British composer, as opposed to a really good American, ridiculous because they automatically respect a composer if he's from England.

I don't think that the Pulitzer should be given the way it is. I think the competition should be anonymous. I think completely different people would win it if the names were taken off because a lot of it is done on relationships and names.

Jazz is not the popular culture. Jazz is in the same position in our culture as classical music. A very small minority of people really love it.