Johnny Griffin

I played in rhumba bands, mickey mouse bands; all kinds of bands.

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

Despite the fact I’m a professional performer, it’s true that I have always preferred playing without an audience.

I wanted to make somebody feel like Coltrane made me feel.

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 a guy is gonna to play good bop, he has to have a sort of a bop soul.

In order to be honest with myself, I have to reveal more of who I am. This is a part of the improv process.

When you are studying Jazz best thing to do is listen to records and live music as much you can and absorb everything.

To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.

Get around, be on the scene, play it clean, be seen, be keen and be over eighteen.

If one were asked to name one musician who came closest to composing without human flaw, I suppose general consensus would choose Johann Sebastian Bach.

The audience should feel they are hearing the future, arriving just on time.

I love it when people hear my music but can’t figure out what instrument I’m playing.

The people who know nothing about music are the ones always talking about it.

I really feel like I made it a great record. I really feel good about it. In this day and age to make a record that you say, ‘This is different,’ that’s a tough nut. I did it by accident but it got done. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I know how to do it.