Jon Hendricks

Bird said he worked as dishwasher at Onyx Club on 52nd St. in the early 1940s just to hear Art Tatum play.

A lot of singers think all they have to do is exercise their tonsils to get ahead. They refuse to look for new ideas and new outlets, so they fall by the wayside… I’m going to try to find out the new ideas before the others do.

Music gives us a lot of things and it only wants one thing back… your attention.

Talent is only the starting point.

Play what you know and then play above that.

The people who really got me off were dealing with the musical potential of their instrument.

Jazz stands for freedom.

Music washes away the dust of every day life.

A name doesn’t make the music. It’s just called that to differentiate it from other types of music.

There is two kinds of music, the good and the bad. I play the good kind.

I never had a chance to play with dolls like other kids. I started working when I was 6 years old.

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.

You have to sound sad first, then maybe later you can sound good.

I grew up with the piano. I learned its language as I learned to speak.

I don’t consider myself a musician who has achieved perfection and can’t develop any further.

Play it f**kin’ loud!