Bobby Hackett discusses his natural love of music.

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Bobby Hackett discusses musical style.

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Bobby Hackett discusses Louis Armstrong.

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Q: “A lot of people probably think - because of a few critics’ remarks, and after the From Spirituals to Swing concert when you were pretty much an unknown – that you are very much a Bix man, which was partly true but you’ve always given allegiance to Louis as your sparkplug…”

A: Well, I love everybody and I certainly could never copy anybody. I don't believe in that because nothing is ever as good as the original, and if you can't find your own way, go into something else. Dizzy told me once that he never heard Louis Armstrong until he was around twenty years old. As a man, are you lucky. Because if he had, he would have been influenced and he might not have come up with the fabulous style that he was forced to create. If he had heard him before that, he would have tried to play like him, which was ... it doesn't take you long to find out that Louis Armstrong was inimitable and then where do you go? But it's interesting to keep groping and try to come up with new ideas.”