That's the exact concept behind the music: to take that kind of, I guess whatever you want to call it, jazz sensibility - but not have it be about solos.
I used to like the Jonas Brothers, but only because I thought that they were good-looking, not because I actually liked their music.
Ninety-nine percent of the music that was of any interest to me when I was growing up came out of the black community.
I always say that the problem with jazz accessibility is not the content of the music, it's people's ability to access it.
One of the things I haven't been ready for is how male-dominated the music industry is. I just didn't have a clue.
I always said when I was younger, I wanted to write film music, and I think that's what my ultimate dream is.
Like many musicians, I don't look back much... only concentrate on what music I'm doing, and occasionally look ahead.
I am happy that women can relate to my songs, and hopefully men can too.
I'm trying to encourage more women to be themselves, rather than what men want them to be. I don't believe in patronizing either sex.
Sinatra, here's a guy who plays a tough guy in all his movies, but was allowed to be vulnerable when he stepped up to the microphone.
It's not just about waking up and trying to be a star... It's practice, practice, practice.
Maybe in past years, perhaps women didn't feel quite as comfortable with revealing themselves, and their skills and their crafts... and now we are, so we're out there, just like the guys.
Generally my feeling is that I think women are just in a universal way coming out, coming to their own more. And they have more opportunity, and basically we're equal.
Comedians get jokes offered to them, rock stars get women and underwear thrown onstage, and I get guys that want to take me fishing.
It's sort of a mental attitude about critical thinking and curiosity. It's about mindset of looking at the world in a playful and curious and creative way.
People's attitude seems to be that if you don't have a television, you're not connected to reality - somehow you're not in reality. It's quite interesting, because I suspect that possibly it's the reverse.
Being a sex symbol has to do with an attitude, not looks. Most men think it's looks, most women know otherwise.
I think it's my adventure, my trip, my journey, and I guess my attitude is, let the chips fall where they may.
I always said punk was an attitude. It was never about having a Mohican haircut or wearing a ripped T-shirt. It was all about destruction, and the creative potential within that.
I grew up in a rough environment. You want to be strong and have your presence felt out there. That attitude reflects how people see you.
You have to have an attitude that nothing's gonna stop me. I think that's just my New York kind of attitude - survival of the fittest.
