Cassandra Wilson

Miles Davis was a master. In every phase of his career, he understood that this music was a tribute to the African muse.

I'm always looking for ways to develop as an artist, especially as a jazz artist-to find different ways of testing my voice.

Miles Davis was doing something inherently African, something that has to do with all forms of American music, not just jazz.

Ever since I watched 'Roots,' I've dreamed of tracing my African ancestry and helping other people do the same.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.

Most detective story readers are an educated audience and know there are only a certain number of plots. The interest lies in what the writer does with them.