I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.
Duke EllingtonRead
Roaming through the jungle of "Ohs" and "Ahs", searching for a more agreeable noise, I live a life of primitivity with the mind of a child and an unquenchable thirst for sharps and flats.
Interpretation
This quote reflects a deep appreciation for music and creativity, highlighting a childlike curiosity and the pursuit of beauty in sound.
Duke Ellington's quote articulates the essence of artistic exploration, where he describes navigating the complexities of sound and emotion, akin to traversing a jungle filled with various expressions. His use of 'Ohs' and 'Ahs' signifies the fleeting nature of experiences and the continuous search for harmony and resonance, illustrating a profound connection to music that thrives on innocence and wonder.
In practice
In a speech about the influence of art on society.
I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.
Tomorrow is in the wings waiting for you to sound her entrance fanfare.
There is no art without intention.
There is nothing to keeping a band together. You simply have to have a gimmick, and the gimmick I use is to pay them money!
Gray skies are just clouds passing over.
Playing 'bop' is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.
I've always envied people who compose music or paint, because they don't have to be bothered with the sort of crude mess that language normally is, in everyday life and in the way we use it.
There was a time before I felt I was a real writer, when I was a yarn spinner and I just wanted to tell story until it was over. But then there came a time where I was like, 'No, I want to understand something through writing this that I might have not understood before. I want people to come away with something to think about.'
When you start with a portrait and try to find pure form by abstracting more and more, you must end up with an egg.
I don't think there will ever be a time I don't write, and I hope there will never be a time I don't act.
I'm very aware of the presence of a reader, and that probably is a reaction against a lot of poems that I do read which seem oblivious to my presence as a reader.
I'm a poet, and I spent my life in poetry.
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