Music chooses her musicians.
You know at an early age if you have a talent for music.
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.
The emotional reaction is all that matters.
Music is my life, professionally, for nearly 60 years. To be recognized by the academy is still the highest honor.
There’s only two types of music. The stuff you can write down and the stuff you can’t. The stuff that you can’t write down is Jazz. Everything else is Polka.
I thought of nothing else but rock ‘n’ roll; apart from sex and food and money–but that’s all the same thing, really.
Inspiration may be a form of superconsciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness – I wouldn’t know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self-consciousness.
One shouldn’t be in the habit of quoting oneself.
Once you become predictable, no one’s interested anymore.
Jazz without the Blues is like BBQ without the sauce.
Jazz music is collective creativity.
I became a singer to sing my songs. They’re so hip who else is going to sing them?
Jazz musician is a combination entertainer, poet, singer, educator, student, artist, seducer and all-round good fellow.
Get out there and improvise and take chances and don’t be a perfectionist.
A good bassist determines the direction of any band.
Sometimes you need to stand with your nose to the window and have a good look at Jazz.
