"There are more than 300,000 families in the Gulf region that lost their homes and are waiting for peace of mind. The hurricane exposed the sad reality of poverty in America. We saw, in all its horrific detail, the vulnerabilities of living in inadequate housing and the heartbreak of losing one's home."

"I'm sure that there are reasonable people that had some reasonable projections about the future of New Orleans, but none of those could include not trying to rebuild the city and make it better than it was before."

"I've been all over the world. I love New York, I love Paris, San Francisco, so many places. But there's no place like New Orleans. It's got the best food. It's got the best music. It's got the best people. It's got the most fun stuff to do."

"I used to go to Bourbon Street when I was a kid and there would be club after club after club of people who were around when the music started. I mean these are legendary, maybe not so well known, but legendary musicians."

"The harmony of the universe dictates that the roots of true happiness grow deep in the present moment."

"It is a essential truth that in the quiet sanctuary of self-reflection, the soul finds its rhythm."

"Music is well said to be the speech of angels."

"Beauty in art is the harmony of spirit, intellect, and craft. Such is the immutable nature of understanding."