I definitely had some moments, where, "Wow, these were some hard chords" on some gig. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
There were a lot of great things you could go and hear for very little money at the time [ '80s]. Mike… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I think we're in a time and place, the last 20 plus years, and certainly now, it's only more so, where it's… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Definitely I had a lot of times where I was really hard on myself. Really frustrated. But I never felt like I… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I didn't always have time to practice as much as I wanted to do, that was a real problem for me in… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I had pestered [Phil Wood] for a long time. He finally agreed to do it. And I was excited and nervous and… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
When I heard Charlie Parker the first time on a record, it had seemed like an old, scratchy kind of record and… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I got to talk to Mel Lewis a lot as a teenager. I think that's what really impacted me the most around… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Hearing Sonny Rollins live... that was really amazing. There were so many things that really blew me away at that time [of… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I didn't have time to deal with practicing in a way that I would have liked to. I wish I could have… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I don't know that there was a moment, like one specific moment where I was like "Ugh. Now what do I do?"… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
There are great jazz educators that I meet all the time. I met a guy named Paul Luchessi who has a high… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I never got to play with Art [ Blakey], but he was kind and spoke to me a number of times. He… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
One time, I think it was my third lesson third or fourth lesson. Kim Parker and he picked me up at the… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
A tenor player named Bud Revels there at the time. A lot of really nice associations amongst the students. Garry Dial was… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
“While your company has had other leaders stir the pot, they have never had you lead the way. The past is the… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Love takes time. It's a process not a goal. Love is something that needs to be nurtured. But if there is one… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I left school December of 1988. I was 21 at the time. And I hadn't quite finished my degree because I had… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I remember [Joe] Lovano came around to me at that time [of Monk competition]. And I had taken some lessons with Joe… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I have worked in the homes of many successful people and have seen firsthand that everyone fails in life, but failure can… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I think what frustrated me more than anything else in my formative years was that I just had to work. I had… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I also met Charles McPherson around that time, end of high school. I was 17 and I had followed Phil around for… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
When you believe, the impossible becomes possible. What you believe will become what is true. Your optimism today will determine your level… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Joe Henderson, who I maybe, to me, if I had to pick one improviser in my life that I saw live that blew my… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
“know that I’m not a human being having a spiritual experience. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience.” — Jon Gordon Copy Share
It's very unlikely you're a genius, but, if you're ready to work at it hard and you want to listen to music all the… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
The first jazz cruise that I was on was '91. I played with Maria Schneider and John Fedchock's band. Got to meet some amazing… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
I just lucked into a lot of good people man. In my life and through friends, and in the music, that really embraced me… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
Every morning you have a choice. Are you going to be a positive thinker or a negative thinker? Positive thinking will energize you. — Jon Gordon Copy Share
I was occasionally getting calls for some things. But I would say, 22 to 29 was a lot of scuffling. Hoping to get called… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
There are a lot of people that impacted me. I remember hearing Oscar Peterson live at the Blue Note, which was very expensive, but...… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
There's a lot of good people out here that want to help you grow and to help the music to continue to grow and… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums [were in Sweet Basil]. All those guys really took care of… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
A true leader doesn't lead to gain power. They lead to empower and give power away. — Jon Gordon Copy Share
We had Bob's [Gordon] records, and he's on Clifford Brown's first record as a leader. I believe it was Clifford Brown's first record as… — Jon Gordon Copy Share
Another classical music teacher from Performing Arts that I've stayed in contact with is Jonathan Strasser. — Jon Gordon Copy Share
![“There were a lot of great things you could go and hear for very little money at the time [ '80s]. Mike Stern is still playing at the 55 Bar on Mondays or Wednesdays.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/56b/jon-gordon-1655_80s_there-were-a-lot-of-great-things-you-cou_3062425.jpg)
![“I had pestered [Phil Wood] for a long time. He finally agreed to do it. And I was excited and nervous and he couldn't have been nicer or more supportive from the minute I got to his house.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/561/jon-gordon-1655_excited_i-had-pestered-phil-wood-for-a-long-time_2627906.png)
![“Hearing Sonny Rollins live... that was really amazing. There were so many things that really blew me away at that time [of schooling].” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/571/jon-gordon-1655_education_hearing-sonny-rollins-live-that-was-real_2428546.png)
![“I never got to play with Art [ Blakey], but he was kind and spoke to me a number of times. He said, "You know, the people who are working 40 hours a week. Those are the ones who are really paying dues. Sitting at a desk doing the same thing every day. We're really blessed to do what we do."” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/8e3/jon-gordon-1655_art_i-never-got-to-play-with-art-blakey-but_1156100.png)
![“One time, I think it was my third lesson third or fourth lesson. Kim Parker and he picked me up at the bus station. And she just said, "Phil [Wood] has been up all night. He's heartbroken. Bud Johnson died last night." And Bud Johnson, like Zoot [Sims] and Al [Cohn] had been mentors to him.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/f59/jon-gordon-1655_all-night_one-time-i-think-it-was-my-third-lesson_948959.jpg)
![“I remember [Joe] Lovano came around to me at that time [of Monk competition]. And I had taken some lessons with Joe and I had seen Joe on the scene. He had always been so great to me, such and inspiration and so kind. One lesson that I had with Joe was just amazing. I'm just such a fan and an…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/c0f/jon-gordon-1655_admirer_i-remember-joe-lovano-came-around-to-me_2231915.jpg)
