Archie Shepp

When we were at the Apollo, Holiday was a block away. I asked her for her autograph.

Sometimes you need to stand with your nose to the window and have a good look at Jazz.

Jazz is a beautiful woman whose older brother is a policeman.

I’m now a legend, whether I want to be or not.

I do the best I can with any instrument I get attracted to. But they’re just tools in order for you to express yourself and that’s really the upshot of it.

I don’t do something because I think it will sell 30 million albums. I couldn’t care less. If it sells one, it sells one.

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.

One of the advantages of growing older is you learn what to leave out.

One very important thing I learned from Monk was his complete dedication to music. That was his reason for being alive. Nothing else mattered except music, really.

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.

We never play anything the same way once.

Don’t give up trying to do what you really want. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.

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.

Some people try to get very philosophical and cerebral about what they’re trying to say with jazz. You don’t need any prologues, you just play. If you have something to say of any worth then people will listen to you.

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