Gary Burton

Inspiration comes from tunes you play, other musicians and your own imagination.

Improvising musicians are musical travelers, voyagers. There is a freedom to wander the musical landscape.

In my world, the first thing I reach for is the sound.

It’s spontaneity that has always characterized Jazz music’s finest improvisers.

I’m my own most merciless critic onstage.

Once you start collecting records you learn more and more about Jazz and Blues.

Music should strike fire from the heart of man and bring tears to the eyes of woman.

You must surrender whatever preconceptions you have about music if you’re really interested in it.

I don’t know where Jazz is going. Maybe it’s going to hell. You can’t make anything go anywhere. It just happens.

I was a nerd academically. But I was also an athlete and a musician. I never wanted to be shut out of any situation. I think it was that more than anything.

Music is to the soul what water is to the body.

I’m not playing for other musicians. We’re trying to reach the guy who works all day and wants to spend a buck at night. We’ll keep him happy.

Jazz singing is like pornography. You can’t say what it is, but you know it when you see it.

The boppers flat their fifths. We consume ours.

The way I look at it, they’re all part of my musical diary, and I can listen to any one of them and it will bring up memories of what was going on at that time.

Composing is a mindset, a part of who I am.

Jazz goes into my coffee in the morning, in my wine at night.