Stan Getz

My dark sound could be heard across a room clearer than somebody with a reedy sound. It had more projection. My sound always seemed to fill a room.

The saxophone is actually a translation of the human voice, in my conception. All you can do is play melody. No matter how complicated it gets, it’s still a melody.

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

We made records to document ourselves, not to sell a lot of records. I still feel that way. I put out a record because I think it’s beautiful, not necessarily commercial.

There are four qualities essential to a great Jazzman: taste, courage, individuality and irreverence. These are the qualities I want to retain in my music.

I cannot play a lie. I have to believe in what I play or it won’t come out.

Once in a while, the thumb that fits over the neck of the guitar kinda bothers me a little bit, but not that much yet. I figure in time I won’t do much because of my age.

Composing makes me feel like I’ve finally gotten all the way up the ladder as a musician.

I am famous because I am an African American jazz artist.

It’s not what they think, it’s about what’s best for the music.

Jazz is not to be sliced into bites by mass marketing geniuses who assume we are mindless cattle.

It’s taken me all my life to learn what not to play.

Jazz is music made by and for people who have chosen to feel good in spite of conditions.

I never really thought about becoming a professional musician.

Music should strike fire from the heart of man and bring tears to the eyes of woman.

One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ’em. The obstacles are all there; there are a million of ’em.

I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That’s all I know

If I could read it, I could play it.

For a long time I wasn’t listening to music, to the rock and roll stuff on the radio, because it would cause me to get sweaty–it would bring back memories I didn’t want to know about, or I would get that feeling that I’m not alive ’cause I’m not making it. And if it was good, I hated it ’cause I wasn’t doing it. And if it was bad, I was furious ’cause I could’ve done it better…

If it wasn’t for hustlers, gangsters and gamblers there’d be no Jazz. Wasn’t middle-class who said Let’s go hear Bird tonight.

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