Oscar Peterson

It’s the group sound that’s important, even when you’re playing a solo. You not only have to know your own instrument, you must know the others and how to back them up at all times. That’s jazz.

I don’t do something because I think it will sell 30 million albums. I couldn’t care less. If it sells one, it sells one.

I have no one style.

If you have something to say of any worth then people will listen to you.

The music field was the first to break down racial barriers, because in order to play together, you have to love the people you are playing with, and if you have any racial inhibitions, you wouldn’t be able to do that.

Montreal was a very active jazz center until club owners started putting in strippers instead of music. Before long, there was nothing to hear.

I cannot say what I think is right about Music. I only know the rightness of it.

The music field was the first to break down racial barriers, because in order to play together, you have to love the people you are playing with, and if you have any racial inhibitions, you wouldn’t be able to do that.

You want the listener to find the song on their own, give too much away and it takes away from the imagination.

Playing ‘bop’ is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.

The secret is keeping busy, and loving what you do.

I’m always making a comeback but nobody ever tells me where I’ve been.

Other than conversation, no other art form can give the satisfaction of spontaneous interaction like Jazz.

Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.

I’m believe that all people are in possession of what might be called a ‘universal musical mind.’

A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write to ultimately be at peace with himself.

You don’t rehearse Jazz to death to get the camera angles.

If your dreams don’t scare you they’re not big enough!

I have no elitist concepts about Jazz. I would not be the musician I am today without experiencing invaluable music styles that are at the roots of African American black life and culture.

Words are the children of reason and therefore can’t translate the feeling of Jazz because they’re not part of it.

Jazz is about being in the moment.