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.

I'm always imagining some sort of story behind the song, even the ones I haven't written. I'm actively engaging in playacting.

When I have to compete with John Coltrane and Miles Davis and Louie Armstrong on iTunes, which I'm doing now, that's a problem. That means that jazz is not being heard by younger audiences.

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.

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