Ornette Coleman

The violin, the saxophone, the trumpet: Each makes a very different sound but the very same notes. That’s pretty heavy, you know ? Imagine how many different races make up the human race. I’m called colored, you’re called white, he’s called something else. We still got an asshole and a mouth. Pardon me.

It was when I found out I could make mistakes that I knew I was on to something.

The human being receives the pleasure from music, not from the argument over what it is.

I don’t know what they’re thinking about. Just because someone says, ‘I like what you do’ or something: They might like it today and tomorrow they might not. I’ve had that experience with record companies.

I asked my mother could I have an instrument. She said, ‘Well if you go out and save your money.’ So I went and got – I made me a shine box. I went out and started shining shoes, and I’d bring whatever I made.

How can I turn emotion into knowledge? That’s what I try to do with my horn.

How can I turn emotion into knowledge? That’s what I try to do with my horn.

I am inclined to just write music and not worry about what people can or can’t do.

When you sing, always tell the truth.

Sounds of daily life are musical. I try to absorb the intricacies of sounds as if I were listening to music.

In Europe, they like everything you do. The mistakes and everything. That’s a little bit too much.

I could write six songs in one day with everything that’s going on.

Music chooses her musicians.

If I don’t practice for a day, I know it… for two days, the critics know it… three days, the public knows it.

Typically I go in the studio and whatever I’m contemplating that day will wind up being a song. I don’t come in with lyrics… I just go in and let it happen.

I like to sleep. There is no set time of day for sleep. You sleep when you’re tired and that’s all there is to it.

Jazz stands for freedom.

Music is the only language in which you cannot say anything sarcastic.

You never get it figured out. You just keep playing.

Blues purists never cared for me. I don’t worry about it. I think if it this way: When I made ‘Three O’ Clock Blues,’ they were not there. The people out there made the tune. And blues purists just wrote about it. The people is who I’m trying to satisfy.

I like what I hear other guys doing, but the thing that really attracts me is melodic playing.