Miles Davis

Nothing is out of the question for me. I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up in the morning and see the light…Then I’m grateful.

Always look ahead, but never look back.

To keep creating you have to be about change.

[On Louis Armstrong] You can’t play nothing on modern trumpet that doesn’t come from him, not even modern shit. I can’t even remember a time when he sounded bad playing the trumpet. Never. Not even one time. He had great feeling up in his playing and he always played on the beat. I just loved the way he played and sang.

The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.

Bebop was about change, about evolution. It wasn’t about standing still and being safe.

Inspiration may be a form of super-consciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness—I wouldn’t know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self-consciousness.

‘Swing’ is an adjective or a verb, not a noun. All jazz musicians should swing. There is no such thing as a ‘swing band’ in music.

If you’re making money people don’t think you’re playing Jazz. When you’re not making money they think you’re a great Jazz musician.

Jazz music is a language of the emotions.

I have a deep respect for harmony, melodic patterns and form.

I don’t compose. I assemble materials.

For most dates I was paid the sum of $1 per hr and they always tipped me at the end of the night.

People like the idea of the trio and so I did mostly trio.

Get around, be on the scene, play it clean, be seen, be keen and be over eighteen.

I’m glad I don’t have perfect pitch because it can drive you crazy.

I tried to connect my singing voice to my guitar an’ my guitar to my singing voice. Like the two was talking to one another.

I don’t try to please when I play. I try to cure.

Jazz demands that you bring to it things that are valuable to you, that are personal to you.

It’s not jazz as we know jazz here in America.

The sound of the orchestra is one of the most magnificent musical sounds that has ever existed.