Cassandra Wilson

I was never interested in singing in the church or school. I was more interested in becoming a musician.

I cringed when I heard myself described as a Jazz singer. I’ve always thought of myself as a Jazz vocalist.

The value of music is to be able to play one note at the right time in the right way.

They’re singing your praises while stealing your phrases.

I got a chance to listen to and watch Thelonious Monk and his quartet play two shows a night, for six weeks. It was a great education. There was my university, man.

If you feel like tapping your feet, tap your feet.

I can tell whether a person can play just by the way he stands.

Get around, be on the scene, play it clean, be seen, be keen and be over eighteen.

Every day I look forward to getting with my instruments, trying new things.

Listening to the Fifth Symphony of Ralph Vaughan Williams is like staring at a cow for 45 minutes.

When you want ’em you can’t get ’em, when you’ve got ’em, you don’t want ’em.

Art [Blakey] would take young people with a potential and help them develop a voice as a player and as a writer.

The blues tells a story in itself. It can make you happy or give you a feeling to swing.

I asked my mother could I have an instrument. She said, ‘Well if you go out and save your money.’ So I went and got – I made me a shine box. I went out and started shining shoes, and I’d bring whatever I made.

I think we musicians are emissaries. Every time we go before the public, we’re there to make converts.

I’ve noticed that the more adventurous and in that mode that I am, it seems that the more the audience really likes it.

You can be beyond yourself, better than your technique, better than most of your usual ideas.