I think as long as people are around and can hear a record and hear people like Lester Young on a recording, there will always be a great inspiration for somebody to try to create jazz. — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
I'm fortunate that I'm making a living at it now because I'm not equipped to do anything else. — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
How ironic that the Negro, who more than any other people can claim America's culture as his own, is being persecuted and repressed; that… — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
I enjoy playing clubs. I still enjoy the closeness of the nightclub venue. However, after a certain period of time and after playing around… — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
Music represents nature. Nature represents life. Jazz represents nature. Jazz is life. — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
Improvisation is the ability to create something very spiritual, something of one's own. — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
Even the most jingoistic person would have to admit that even American cultural music comes from Europe. That's what classical music is, real European… — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
...this is my dilemma. I'm a guy who makes things up as I go along, so nothing is ever finished - there are so… — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
Jazz is the type of music that can absorb so many things and still be jazz. — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
My mother came from St. Thomas. I heard that melody and all I did was actually adapt it. I made my adaptation of sort… — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
I feel that L.A. has not always been my strongest base for support. That can be for various reasons. — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
You had many jazz musicians who lived in the United States, who had a hard time being accepted over here and had to play… — Sonny Rollins Copy Share Image
