Our basic audience begins with creaking elderly types of twenty-three and above.

- Paul Desmond

It was never supposed to be a hit. It was supposed to be a Joe Morello drum solo.

- Paul Desmond

Milton, of all people, gave the most perfect definition of the state of mind required to play jazz: ' with wanton heed and giddy cunning.' That's how…

- Paul Desmond

I'm glad [Ornette Coleman] is such an individualist. I like the firmness of thought and purpose that goes into what he's doing, even though I don't …

- Paul Desmond

Writing is like jazz. It can be learned, but it can't be taught.

- Paul Desmond

Complexity can be a trap. You can have a ball developing a phrase, inverting it, playing it in different keys and times and all. But it's really more…

- Paul Desmond

I tried practicing for a few weeks and ended up playing too fast.

- Paul Desmond

I would like to thank my father who discouraged me from playing the violin at an early age.

- Paul Desmond

I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini.

- Paul Desmond