Paul Desmond

I have won several prizes as the world’s slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness.

The qualities in music I consider most important are beauty, simplicity, originality, discrimination and sincerity.

I was unfashionable before anyone knew who I was.

I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini.

I tried practicing for a few weeks and ended up playing too fast.

I would like to thank my father who discouraged me from playing the violin at an early age.

Every day I look forward to getting with my instruments, trying new things.

I never stop being amazed by all the different ways of playing the guitar and making it deliver a message.

I have to be a star like another man has to breathe.

It’s always been a gift with me, hearing music the way I do. I don’t know where it comes from, it’s just there and I don’t question it.

People love us when we play what we want to play but we’re starving.

Jazz will only go where we the composers and musicians take it. It is up to us.

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

Wes Montgomery played impossible things on the guitar because it was never pointed out to him that they were impossible.

I’ve always had a deep love of live performance, it’s when I feel most alive.

To me, singing is like talking. If it ain’t natural, it ain’t right.

Everybody has somebody that they patterned themselves after.

I often wonder whether Negroes like myself who are pretty well known help out at all in breaking down barriers.

Joe’s been my drummer for 14 years, and we’ve been buddies for six years.

There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind.

When there was vinyl, I just loved opening a record and smelling that wonderful smell.