Bill Evans

Especially, I want my work-and the trios if possible-to sing.

A guy is influenced by hundreds of people and things, and all show up in his work. To fasten on any one or two is ridiculous. I will say one thing, though. Lennie Tristano’s early records impressed me tremendously. Tunes like ‘Tautology,’ ‘Marshmallow,’ and ‘Fishin’ Around.’ I heard the fellows in his group building their lines with a design and general structure that was different from anything I’d ever heard in jazz.

Talent is cheap, and many talents treat themselves cheaply.

I’m believe that all people are in possession of what might be called a ‘universal musical mind.’

You never master the instrument. You always just strive to get better.

My creed for art in general is that it should enrich the soul; it should teach spirituality by showing a person a portion of himself that he would not discover otherwise . . . a part of yourself you never knew existed.

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

The word “jazz” means to me no category, but when you get stuck into wanting to do something the way it was with the “jazz emblem” or logo chained around your neck, you play in a frozen moment in time and you keep fermenting the ‘fifties saying jazz should be this way or that. Well, if jazz to me means no category, then I’ve got the green light And if it sounds like.. sounds like.. sounds like, and keeps crossing over, it’s what I wanted to do in the first place. I like the way Stravinsky and those guys did things. They expressed something, if not themselves. In fact, some people talk about expression, but expression really doesn’t mean anything to me because there’s a lot of work which goes into building a drama and then it’s up to other people to offer “expression.” Expression is such a nebulous thing.

I say this because it’s a good message to give to young talents who feel as I used to. You hear musicians playing with great fluidity and complete conception early on, and you don’t have that ability. I didn’t. I had to know what I was doing. And ultimately it turned out that these people weren’t able to carry their thing very far. I found myself being more attracted to artists who have developed through the years and become better and deeper musicians.I believe in things that are developed through hard work.

I have younger friends who don’t work and they aren’t doing so well. My secret is to keep going, keep working.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to decide where jazz starts or where it stops, where Tin Pan Alley begins and jazz ends, or even where the borderline lies between classical music and jazz. I feel there is no boundary line.

The guitar chose me.

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

I’m not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don’t last.

Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.

Keep on listening and tapping your feet.

I feel I have only scratched the surface of what I know I am capable of doing.

A Jazz performance centers upon the process of creation. The final objective is not only the finished product, but the path and process taken towards it.

The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.

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

The qualities in music I consider most important are beauty, simplicity, originality, discrimination and sincerity.