[Phil Wood] was a great artist, and he knew things. He could be mildly conversant in several languages. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Another classical music teacher from Performing Arts that I've stayed in contact with is Jonathan Strasser. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Justin Di Cioccio led a jazz program at Music and Art, but there was no jazz in Performing Arts. After they joined,… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I learned some classical music history, which I had done quite a bit at of Performing Arts. But I got some more… — 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
Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I had a great year with Bob Mintzer [at Laguardia School of Arts]. Bob is great. We could have just brought 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
I remember Art Blakey saying to me, "Just remember, we're blessed to do what we do." — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
[Phil Wood] knew about wine. He knew about food. He knew about art. He knew about classical music. He was interested in… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
If you want to make [your own way in music] it as a player, which is very difficult, as Art Blakey said… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I did do an off-Broadway show for about 15 months. '91 and '92. It was nice to have a steady paycheck for… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
You're not going to have any pension or health care from those $60 nights at you name the club. But I think… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I was finishing up at High School of Performing Arts and finally, by the end of junior year and start of senior… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
[Larry Laurenzano] gave me a junior high school saxophone to take to high school, because I was always taking one of our… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
When I got to Performing Arts, within the first week, a few days, Bill Charlap walked in and couldn't read music but… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
[Charlie Parker] was kind of a sponge and intrigued by it all.That's similar to what Phil [Woods] told me about Bird, too.… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
There's a famous story about Dizzy [Gillespie] and Art Blakey taking him aside, and spending a whole night-long talk with [Phil Wood],… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Justin [Di Cioccio] was [at Laguardia School of Arts]. He later took over at Manhattan. But I knew Justin through the McDonald's… — 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 Image
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 Image
“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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
![“[Phil Wood] was a great artist, and he knew things. He could be mildly conversant in several languages.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b0e/jon-gordon-1655_art_phil-wood-was-a-great-artist-and-he-knew_576942.jpg)
![“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/quotes/img-quotes/8e3/jon-gordon-1655_art_i-never-got-to-play-with-art-blakey-but_1156100.jpg)
![“I had a great year with Bob Mintzer [at Laguardia School of Arts]. Bob is great. We could have just brought the clarinet or dealt with classical stuff, or brought the flute or just dealt with comp and arranging... what a great teacher.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3b9/jon-gordon-1655_arranging_i-had-a-great-year-with-bob-mintzer-at-l_493182.jpg)
![“[Phil Wood] knew about wine. He knew about food. He knew about art. He knew about classical music. He was interested in things.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/841/jon-gordon-1655_art_phil-wood-knew-about-wine-he-knew-about_2889848.jpg)
![“If you want to make [your own way in music] it as a player, which is very difficult, as Art Blakey said to me, "We're blessed to have the opportunity to do this." So just keep that in mind.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b0c/jon-gordon-1655_art_if-you-want-to-make-your-own-way-in-musi_1827416.jpg)
![“I was finishing up at High School of Performing Arts and finally, by the end of junior year and start of senior year, made some progress as a 16 year-old classical saxophone player. But not really... not like how the legit cats do. But I love the [Jacques] Ibert, love [Alexander] Glazunov, love…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3c7/jon-gordon-1655_art_i-was-finishing-up-at-high-school-of-per_2762115.jpg)
![“[Larry Laurenzano] gave me a junior high school saxophone to take to high school, because I was always taking one of our school horns home to practice and I couldn't afford to buy one. He gave my friend, Tyrone, a tuba and he gave me a junior high saxophone for each of us to use at Performing Arts…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/217/jon-gordon-1655_art_larry-laurenzano-gave-me-a-junior-high-s_1950287.jpg)
![“[Charlie Parker] was kind of a sponge and intrigued by it all.That's similar to what Phil [Woods] told me about Bird, too. Like he was into cooking. He was just into a lot of things. Yeah, it's about dealing with bebop and jazz and Trane [John Coltrain] and post-Trane and knowing the history. But…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a35/jon-gordon-1655_art_charlie-parker-was-kind-of-a-sponge-and_2500883.jpg)
![“There's a famous story about Dizzy [Gillespie] and Art Blakey taking him aside, and spending a whole night-long talk with [Phil Wood], "Man we believe in you. You can play. So don't be walking around with a frown on your face or whatever, getting yourself into trouble. You have got a gift, and…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ca5/jon-gordon-1655_art_there-s-a-famous-story-about-dizzy-gille_486307.jpg)
![“Justin [Di Cioccio] was [at Laguardia School of Arts]. He later took over at Manhattan. But I knew Justin through the McDonald's band, which at the time I was finishing high school and starting college, I got involved with. I was not that heavily involved with the school at MSM my first year…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/275/jon-gordon-1655_art_justin-di-cioccio-was-at-laguardia-schoo_2555432.jpg)
![“Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums [were in Sweet Basil]. All those guys really took care of me.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/400/jon-gordon-1655_basil_ernie-hayes-jimmy-lewis-and-either-belto_200776.jpg)