Jazz Quotes - Page 20

We all listened to a lot of recorded music, especially American jazz, modern jazz, and that's where our studies were and our inspiration came from.

Every day when I sit down to play, I learn something new.

Jazz is not a 'form' but a collection of tags and tricks.

Paul Desmond sounds like a female alcoholic.

If anybody was Mr. Jazz it was Louis Armstrong. He was the epitome of jazz and always will be. He is what I call an American standard, an American original.

I expect the audience to come up to my level.

Kenny Burrell is the grand master of jazz guitar.

Miles got a mystique about him-plus he's at the top of his profession. And he's got way, way, way more money.

I was very adamant about not being called a jazz singer, but now I've embraced it. The way I approach music is through jazz, so I'm a jazz singer.

It's much easier for me to say that, the kind of music I didn't listen to was pretty much that. I mean everything, from jazz to classical to popular. And Tibetan horns were a great part of it in 1966, '67.

There is an apprenticeship system in jazz. You teach the young ones. So even if the musicians weren't personally that likable, they felt an obligation to help the younger musicians.

There is nothing new... everything has roots in the past.

My own Brubeck Institute in California is turning out fantastic young jazz players, and I know great things will happen.

The worst thing about the life of a jazz musician on the road is getting to the gig. Once you're there and playing, it's marvelous.

In 1994, I started touring again and I recorded two albums for Chesky Jazz.

You've got to learn your instrument.

I always wanted to be a spontaneous composer.

Tastes are created by the business interests. How else can you explain the popularity of Al Hirt?

I just got to hear every note. After I left Birdland, I started working at the Jazz Gallery. In the end, I still couldn't play, but I knew how to listen. I was probably the world's best listener.

So much of Jazz doesn't have an audience other than music students or musicians.

I am not a jazz singer. I wouldn't place myself on that footing. I wouldn't even enter that arena.

I'm not a jazz singer.

In blues, classical and jazz, you get more revered with age.

The jazz band's chief stimulus, of course, was the rise of the negro 'blues' and their exploitation by the negro song-writer, W. C. Handy.

Jazz is America's classical music.