I consider myself a serious musician. Doing a comedy show does not take away from that in any way.

The simple things in life ground me and keep me focused so I'm able to do a good job with what is in front of me.

I thought people cared about music in a deep way, so I was writing to that spirit in people and in myself. It was me, thinking I knew what was up. Youth, who else can change the world?

The things I really learned, I learned from watching my parents. They take care of business. Always have.

I think Wes Montgomery is the greatest jazz guitarist that ever lived.

I really live a simple life and don't need very much to feel good and happy. Don't get me wrong; I believe you should get what you earn. Sometimes you have to fight for it.

Dad made it to Gold Shield Detective, so he always busted Robin, my oldest brother, and me. Always got caught, whatever we were doing.

I can pay my rent now. I guess I could always do that, but now I can get an apartment with heat.

I was playing violin for a long time, about 6 years. It takes a while. You need very patient people in your house when you have a violin.

I consider myself a serious musician. Doing a comedy show does not take away from that in any way.

After a while I thought it didn't make any sense to use a pick. It's kind of like typing with one finger on each hand instead of using all your fingers.

My love life doesn't stink; it's nonexistent.

I really worked with icons in the music business, which really had a strong effect on me. It wasn't just pick-up gigs.

James Brown is the reason I play guitar.

If you play jazz, then you play with your fingers. If you're playing rock, you use a pick. There's really no rhyme or reason to that other than that's just the way it has been.

It's shameful what's happening in this country in terms of what we deny our children.

I had the fortunate experience to play with people from different schools of music. Sam Rivers is from the fundamentalist school of music.

The worst part is doubt. When you doubt yourself, which we are taught to do, you get lost.

I love both my parents dearly.

It is hard for a black man to just be himself. We spend so much time in defense of something that is indefensible because there is nothing to defend.

Serious musicians are finding it harder and harder to have a voice in the world of music these days.

Being as versatile as I am, I take offense to the notion that no serious musician would not be doing a late night talk show gig. One has to be open enough in other areas to be able to contribute to a show like this.

The belief that we are what the media says we are, what people perceive we are, is soon to be what we think we are. We are treated based on this warped perception. It is hard to get away from it.

I feel very honored to be playing with Bill Pierce. He's such a great musician.

I am blessed to have Mom and Dad.

Inspiration is one thing and you can't control it, but hard work is what keeps the ship moving. Good luck means, work hard. Keep up the good work.

Sometimes I wonder if I got lulled into not wanting things because I grew up black in this country.

My love life is like everyone else's - great, and then terrible.

In most places that are rich in guitar culture, everyone uses their fingers, like in Spain or Africa. In Japan there are string instruments played that way. It is not until you get in the States that you find people using picks.

I wish I could sing. I love singers, but I am way too shy. Scares the hell out of me.

I want someone who is open-minded, dedicated to whatever she is doing and isn't afraid to say I love you. As for looks, she shouldn't have three heads. I want a regular human being.

People see my current success but don't realize I've worked hard to get where I am. I used to clean garbage off the Philadelphia docks and put a lot of time into developing my music.

The worst part is doubt. When you doubt yourself which we are taught to do you get lost.

I mean, all alternative comedy is are comedians that have being doing it for so long, for so long, that they were relaxed enough to start becoming personal on stage.

The kinds of shows that seem to work now, the comedy shows, are those which require very little attention. They're superficial and I like articulate comedy.

A lot of people have gotten into comedy because of certain influences in their lives or events that were painful, and I really have wracked my brain to figure it out. I pretty much have had a normal childhood. Maybe it was too normal.

I grew up wanting to make movies, and along the way I suddenly found that I had a career doing comedy.

I really enjoy comedy. It's a real challenge.

I've mainly been in dramas, so this is one of my first comedy kind of performances in Cecil B. Demented.

Well I sure had been looking for a comedy for years without any success.

Comedy is so hard; it's so much harder than drama. The pacing of it, the energy of it.

Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main endeavors.

It seems like when I first started, people got into comedy because they wanted to be good comedians.

It is really hard to do comedy; it takes a lot of energy and focus. It's rather like music: It's a lot of hitting notes precisely.

This is one of his most human and most amusing and witty novels. The characters are very Indian. I decided that I wanted to do a comedy, so this was just the right one.

The English can be a very critical, unforgiving people, but criticism can be good. And this is a country that loves comedy.

Black Comedy is a farce that is played in the dark, as you know, with the lights full on. It's the Chinese convention of reversing light and dark, and exactly where anybody is at any given moment is the play.

I'd really been wanting to do a television series. I was looking for a comedy.

I think Andy Kaufman is to comedy what the Velvet Underground was to music - it's like, 80 thousand records sold, but everybody who bought one started a band.