Quotes on Jazz Musician

The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. Things like old folks singing in the moonlight in the back yard on a hot night or something said long ago.

When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people.

They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.

Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around.

Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.

But you listen to Coltrane and that's something human, something that's about elevation. It's like making love to a woman. It's about something of value, it's not just loud. It doesn't have that violent connotation to it. I wanted to be a jazz musician so bad, but I really couldn't. There was no way I could figure out to learn how to play.

If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!

A jazz musician is not a jazz musician when he or she is eating dinner or when he or she is with his parents or spouse or neighbors. He's above all a human being . . . the true artform is being a human being.

Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom.

If I knew what it was going to look like, I wouldnt be so excited to be a part of it. Jazz is a music of surprise; its a music of spontaneity. I think jazz musicians live--I know I do--for being surprised and not knowing whats going to come next.

If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know.

Never play anything the same way twice.

If you don't live it, it won't come out your horn.

I can show you that I have played with just about every jazz musician, every African musician, every blues musician. It's not like I'm cashing in on a false concept. This is what I do.

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play.

The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking "Is there a meaning to music?" My answer would be, "Yes", And "Can you state in so many words what the meaning is?" My answer to that would be "No."

A jazz musician is a combination orator, dialectician, mathematician, athlete, entertainer, poet, singer, dancer, diplomat, educator, student, comedian, artist, seducer, public masturbator, and general all-round good fellow.

Jazz will endure just as long people hear it through their feet instead of their brains.

Jazz is the only music in which the same note can be played night after night but differently each time.

There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind.