Eric Clapton

[on B.B. King] He is without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced, and the most humble and genuine man you would ever wish to meet. In terms of scale or stature, I believe that if Robert Johnson was reincarnated, he is probably B.B. King.

Eliminating the piano means that I’ve always worked closer with the bass than most players.

Jazz translates the moment into a sense of inspiration for not only the musicians but for the listeners.

I felt a responsibility to present a viable alternative to the popular electric sound.

Jazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guy’s playing blues like we play, he’s in high school. When he starts playing jazz it’s like going on to college, to a school of higher learning.

It seems like I always had to work harder than other people. Those nights when everybody else is asleep, and you sit in your room trying to play scales.

Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.

Look for the one who’s not smiling and play to that person. Once you’ve got that person, you’ve got the whole club.

Jazz standards are our contribution to music history.

Jazz music has always been a place where anything is possible.

For a long time I wasn’t listening to music, to the rock and roll stuff on the radio, because it would cause me to get sweaty–it would bring back memories I didn’t want to know about, or I would get that feeling that I’m not alive ’cause I’m not making it. And if it was good, I hated it ’cause I wasn’t doing it. And if it was bad, I was furious ’cause I could’ve done it better…

I don’t do something because I think it’ll sell 30 million albums. I couldn’t care less if it sells just one.

I feel I have only scratched the surface of what I know I am capable of doing.

There’s a way of playing safe and then there’s where you create something you haven’t created before.

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

In composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in 15 seconds, in improvisation you have 15 seconds.