Charlie Parker Quotes

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.

You’ve got to learn your instrument.

I realized by using the high notes of the chords as a melodic line, and by the right harmonic progression, I could play what I heard inside me. That’s when I was born.

You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.

Don’t play the saxophone. Let it play you.

Master your instrument, master the music and then forget all that and just play.

Once I could play what I heard inside me, that’s when I was born.

It’s not all smoke and mirrors. Some of it comes from books.

I can play all I know in eight bars.

In Kansas City joints ran 9pm-5am. Pay was a $1.25 a night but somebody special like Count Basie could command $1.50.

I am a devout musician.

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

Music is your own experience, your 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.

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

Music is your experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn.

I kept thinking there’s bound to be something else? I could hear it sometimes, but I couldn’t play it.

The time is now.