Bill Evans

I believe in things that are developed through hard work. I always like people who have developed long and hard, especially through introspection and a lot of dedication. I think what they arrive at is usually a much deeper and more beautiful thing than the person who seems to have that ability and fluidity from the beginning. I say this because it’s a good message to give to young talents who feel as I used to.

If you take the time and your talent is real, it will last.

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

Music should enrich the soul; it should teach spirituality by showing a person a portion of himself that he would not discover otherwise. It’s easy to rediscover part of yourself, but through art you can be shown part of yourself you never knew existed. That’s the real mission of art. The artist has to find something within himself that’s universal and which he can put into terms that are communicable to other people. The magic of it is that art can communicate to a person without his realizing it.

You can’t explain Jazz to anyone without losing the experience because it’s feeling, not words.

I’m… a rather simple person with a limited talent and perhaps a limited perspective.

I always had a deep feeling to be one with the very minute I’m in.

Living is easy with eyes closed.

Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn. They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.

I try stuff. I synthesize what’s of value with some of the other things I have at my disposal.

When you know the lyrics to a tune, you have some kind of insight as to it’s composition.

My chops were not as fast… [but] I just learned more on what was in my mind than what was in my chops. I learned a long time ago that one note can go a long way if it’s the right one, and it will probably whip the guy with twenty notes.

I just wonder where I was when the talent was being given out, like George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Eric Clapton… oh, there’s many more! I wouldn’t want to be like them, you understand, but I’d like to be equal, if you will.

Man, all music is folk music. You ain’t never heard no horse sing a song, have you?

The fabulous places I’ve been, wonderful things that’ve happened, great people I’ve met ought to make a story.

We open our minds, stretch forth, take chances and venture out musically to arrive at something new and different.

Hot can be cool and cool can be hot and each can be both. But hot or cool man, Jazz is Jazz.

Art is a subject that is inundated with opinions. In fact, that’s all it is about is opinions.

Instrumental music is increasingly marginalized.

I can’t sing it straight. I have no choice but to swing it.

Any particular style of playing which represents an authentic way of musical feeling is genuine expression.