Chuck Berghofer

I don’t get jazz. It always sounds like a bunch of toddlers let loose in a music room.

Jazz music is a language of the emotions.

Bebop was about change, about evolution. It wasn’t about standing still and being safe.

I don’t pop my cork for every man I see.

You may be sitting in a room reading this book. Imagine one note struck upon the piano. Immediately that one note is enough to change the atmosphere of the room – proving that the sound element in music is a powerful and mysterious agent, which it would be foolish to deride or belittle.

I was first awakened to musical exploration by Dizzy and Bird.

[Stratocaster vs Les Paul] It’s a totally different animal. One is for very subtle and, I would say, more musical things that you can distract and abuse. You can’t do that with a Les Paul. It’s too delicate. It’s got a very delicate tone; most people don’t ever realize that because they are plugged into monstrous amplifiers which completely, instantaneously covers up the unique sound quality it has. All those years of development go straight out the window when you overload the amp.

I don’t think anybody steals anything; all of us borrow.

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

To the person who uses music as a medium for the expression of ideas, feelings, images, or what have you; anything which facilitates this expression is properly his instrument.

They’re singing your praises while stealing your phrases.

I worked until I could play and do changes at any tempo in any key and said ‘What else is there?’ Now I’m finding out.

If you play a tune and a person don’t tap their feet, don’t play the tune.

You can separate the men from the boys and ballads.

You’ve heard me call myself a bluesman and a blues singer. I call myself a blues singer, but you ain’t never heard me call myself a blues guitar man. Well, that’s because there’s been so many can do it better’n I can, play the blues better’n me. I think a lot of them have told me things, taught me things.