Dexter Gordon

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

Music is a reservoir… of sounds.

If you can’t play the blues, you might as well hang it up.

What I’m doing, I prefer to call that jazz, because it is a beautiful word – I love it.

I hope we left you with something to put under your pillow.

Darlin… be-bop is the music of the future.

Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.

Inspiration grows into full-scale creation through persistence and imagination.

I thought I had swell ideas and wonderful musicians but no one else did.

Jazz is a feeling more than anything else.

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

Jazz music can relax, soothe and uplift the mind when you absorb it.

Man, you tell a story.

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

In my opinion, I think sarcasm and humor in a song, without turning it into a novelty song, is really charming.

I wanted to do the music, but not at the expense of being happy.

We’re here to have a ball.

Improvisation is the ability to talk to oneself.

Some people try to get very philosophical and cerebral about what they’re trying to say with jazz. You don’t need any prologues, you just play. If you have something to say of any worth then people will listen to you.

[on Ornette Coleman] Man, that cat is nuts!

I’m now a legend, whether I want to be or not.