Oscar Peterson

Too many jazz pianists limit themselves to a personal style, a trademark, so to speak. They confine themselves to one type of playing. I believe in using the entire piano as a single instrument capable of expressing every possible musical idea. I have no one style. I play as I feel.

You not only have to know your own instrument, you must know the others and how to back them up at all times. That’s jazz.

I believe in using the entire piano as a single instrument capable of expressing every possible musical idea.

If you have something to say of any worth then people will listen to you.

It’s the group sound that’s important, even when you’re playing a solo. You not only have to know your own instrument, you must know the others and how to back them up at all times. That’s jazz.

I have no one style.

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

To this day, I don’t like people walking on stage not looking good. You have to look good. If you feel special about yourself then you’re going to play special.

Dizzy used to tell me I’m playing too hard. He’d say to not give everything. Miles told me that too.

Play what you know and then play above that.

I love it when people hear my music but can’t figure out what instrument I’m playing.

True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time. My people are Americans and my time is today.

Life is too full of distractions nowadays. When I was a kid we had a little Emerson radio and that was it. We were more dedicated. We didn’t have a choice.

I consider myself a poet first and a musician second. I live like a poet and I’ll die like a poet.

I want people to walk away with the same joy, hope and love that I put into my music.

Everyone is working who should be.

Being so inescapably a part of it, I’ll never know what the listener gets, what the listener feels and that’s too bad.

All musicians stimulate each other. The vibrations get scattered around.

Blues is to Jazz what yeast is to bread; without it, it’s flat.

Critics get a little carried away with what someone should have done, rather than what he did.

I would’ve loved to have been in a band, but sadly I just wasn’t good enough.