A huge dog, tied by a chain, was painted on the wall and over it was written in capital letters 'Beware of the dog. '
Through first-class education, a generation marches down the long uncertain road of the future with confidence.
Through improvisation, jazz teaches you about yourself. And through swing, it teaches you that other people are individuals too. It teaches you how to coordinate with them.
Jazz music is the power of now.
Jazz is democracy in music.
Flexibility is an essential part of Jazz. It's what gives Jazz music the ability to combine with all other types of music and not lose its identity.
Ethics are more important than laws. Which means that the exact note is less important than the feeling of the note.
I like to look at the interface between words and pictures and wonder about which comes first, a sort of chicken-or-egg type of question.
I used to be a folk singer, but I was. . . dreadful. I had a voice like a goose farting in the fog. And being a folk singer doesn't make you attractive to women.
Find something good within your life and give every ounce of positivity you have towards it, then watch how your life changes.
The Piano Lesson' is very sophisticated, easily the most adult or complex material I've attempted. It's the first film I've written that has a proper story, and it was a big struggle for me to write. It meant I had to admit the power of narrative.