Coleman Hawkins

There’s nobody plays like me and I don’t play like anybody else.

Music should always be an adventure.

You can separate the men from the boys and ballads.

It’s easy to play any musical instrument, just touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.

It’s not technique — it’s what you have to say.

Music gave me the energy to revise, revive myself; renew, rebirth myself. It was a palliative, a relief.

I don’t really look at my career in terms of highlights and low lights. I think I’m at this place right now and to be at this place right now I’ve had to go through many obstacles and lots of highs and lows and for me it’s about the entire journey.

If it sounds good and feels good, then it IS good!

Jazz music is a language of the emotions.

Excessive reverence for the romantic illusion of original thought is the most fraudulent and destructive element in Jazz education.

For me, the main thing is spontaneity and taking chances.

I have been doing music all my life so everyday when I get up I expect music will be part of it.

Jazz improvisation is the art of collective negotiated expression.

When you are so strongly drawn to music, you can’t ‘not’ be a musician.

The first time I ever had to go overseas for music was to play the Royal Festival Hall in London, singing in a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, and that week was insane: Thursday I rehearse with the orchestra; Friday I sing two songs in front of 2,500 people, which I have never done before; and the next day I go to Abbey Road to record with Herbie Hancock; and then I am playing a pub in south London somewhere, and nobody cares because London have lost some sporting match; and then I go home and I’m standing in front of my washing machine, putting my unmentionables into the dryer, and in that instant, I just looked at myself and said ‘This life is going to be strange’.

By and large Jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn’t want your daughter to associate with.

[In 1972] At the moment, we’re getting the same thrill from seeing the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Jo Jo Gunne, and Judee Sill happen… It’s as hard to do it with Jackson Browne as it was to do it with Joni five years ago.

As long as you’ve got your horn in your mouth, you’re developing.