Artie Shaw

Jazz was born out of the whiskey bottle, was raised on marijuana, and will expire on cocaine.

‘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.

An artist should write for himself and not for an audience. If the audience likes it, great. If not, they can keep away.

There’s such a cynicism about the phrase ‘I laughed all the way to the bank.’ It’s as though money is what you’re doing, rather than playing music. If you’re playing a money game, why not get into banking?

Shoot for the moon. If you miss you’ll still end up in the stars.

I can’t understand guys who just have to have your autograph. What do you do when you get home, take it out and look at it?

The true musician plays what he/she hears. That cannot be a mistake.

All the music that was ever heard came from the inner silence in every musician.

Monk encouraged me to emancipate the drums from their subservient role as timekeepers.

May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine.

I’ve always depended upon my own melodic instinct, instead of scale like formulas.

Jazz stands for freedom.

[On urging Nyro to tell Barbara Streisand that ‘Wedding Bell Blues’ had been personally written for her] It’s not a big lie.

Our music artistry should not be disconnected from our lives or ourselves.

Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and charm and gaiety to life.

We’re more popular than Jesus Christ now. I don’t know which will go first; rock and roll or Christianity.

Musicians need to continue higher learning try to expand the pallet.

Talent is cheap, and many talents treat themselves cheaply.

I’ve always had a deep love of live performance, it’s when I feel most alive.

Jazz is rhythm and meaning.

Jazz music has got to have that thing. You have to be born with it. You can’t even buy it. If you could buy it, they’d have it at the next Newport festival.