Many people don't understand how disciplined you have to be to play jazz... And that is really the idea of democracy - freedom within the Constitution or discipline. You don't just get out there and do anything you want.
Interpretation
Jazz requires discipline despite its improvisational nature, which parallels the structure of democracy.
In this quote, Dave Brubeck emphasizes that while jazz music is often viewed as spontaneous and free, it is built on a foundation of discipline and structure. He draws a parallel between this concept and democracy, suggesting that true freedom exists within limits and frameworks that guide behavior, much like musicians must adhere to certain rules and techniques while improvising in jazz. The quote highlights the importance of discipline in achieving both artistic and societal ideals.
In practice
During a jazz festival, you might quote this to highlight the dedication of the musicians.
One of the reasons I believe in jazz is that the oneness of man can come through the rhythm of your heart. It’s the same anyplace in the world, that heartbeat. It’s the first thing you hear when you’re born — or before you’re born — and it’s the last thing you hear.
When you hear Bach or Mozart, you hear perfection. Remember that Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were great improvisers. I can hear that in their music.
I knew even if I'm a cowboy, I'm going to be involved in jazz in some way.
What I want to happen is to be really creative, and to play something new in the improvisations, every time.
I’m beginning to understand myself. But it would have been great to be able to understand myself when I was 20 rather than when I was 82.
I got a poster from Columbia Records, and there's Miles Davis, Charlie Mingus, Ellington, Count Basie - everybody in that poster has died, I'm the only one left. And great players like Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan, it's hard to believe they're gone because we were all so close. But I believe in the future and the tradition will go on.
It's the group sound that's important, even when you're playing a solo.
This is what I want everyone to experience at the end of my concert... _x000D_ everyone has this sense of rejoicing. _x000D_ I don't want them to be blown away by what I do, _x000D_ I want them to have this sense of real, real joy _x000D_ from the depths of their being. _x000D_ Because I think when you take them to that place, _x000D_ then you open up a place where grace can come in.
There was this moment when we made 'Superunknown': the Seattle music scene had suddenly ended up on an international stage with huge success.
People have been brainwashed into believing that it's got to be down or it wouldn't be blues. But it's not so. It's got to be a fact or it wouldn't be blues.
If you've got a problem, take it out on a drum.
When I think about country music, I think about America.
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