Dave Brubeck

There’s a way of playing safe, there’s a way of using tricks and there’s the way I like to play which is dangerously where you’re going to take a chance on making mistakes in order to create something you haven’t created before.

It’s like a whole orchestra, the piano for me.

Jazz stands for freedom.

Don’t be a perfectionist… leave that to the classical musicians.

You can be beyond yourself, better than your technique, better than most of your usual ideas.

I never wanted this kind of life that I’m still living.

I feel very blessed to have two wonderful, healthy children who keep me completely grounded, sane and throw up on my shoes just before I go to an awards show just so I know to keep it real.

It’s her first grandchild, so she’s really, really, really excited. I guess my mom is a little more stressed out than me.

I have real good parents. They poor. They have regular, poor jobs and what not. They real good people and what not; I was just raised in a bad society.

There was a lot of charm in just living in a big family compound of a house. My two uncles, who were into jazz, lived in the basement, and one of them, Uncle Peter, taught me my first songs on the ukulele.

I was probably 10 or 11 when I saw that, and sort of started thinking, ‘You know what? Marriage is an option. Having a family is an option. And going to school and getting your education and building your career is another really viable option that can lead to happiness and fulfillment.

I’m pretty conservative or old-fashion, I should say, it’s how I grew up. I think you have to let your children be individuals, but you have to set boundaries. Ryan and I have similar ideas about all of it, you really have to support you partner in the things that are important to them and hold the line together.

Your parents leave you too soon and your kids and spouse come along late, but your siblings know you when you are in your most inchoate form. – Jeffrey Kluger

Your children can be around you all day, but if you don’t spend quality time with them and you don’t pay attention to them and talk to them and listen to them, it doesn’t matter that they’re just around you.

It’s much worse to read criticism about your son than yourself.

You know, it’s the silliness in me. It has always been there. I love to make people laugh. It comes from my family. My family is funny.

My mother was a very beautiful lady, I thought. She was very good to me. I guess – she died when I was nine and a half, but if she had lived, I probably wouldn’t be trying to play guitar. She wanted me to be known, but as something else. Not a guitar player.

I was loved dearly by my father but I was never so precious that he didn’t think that I could be in there right at the table.

I was bribing North to wear her butter 350’s by saying they glow in the dark. However, she made me turn off the lights to test it. She caught me lying but Kanye was on speaker phone and said don’t worry I will make them.

I’m convinced that what kids need today are parents – not buddies. They need someone who will exercise mature judgment.

I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.