Jazz Quotes · Page 51

Every conversation is a form of Jazz. The activity of instantaneous creation is as ordinary to us as breathing.

— Stephen Nachmanovitch

The only reason they're out there is to see me fall into the damn orchestra pit.

— Billie Holiday

Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but is a gift that America has given the world.

— Ahmad Alaadeen

Gospel, soul, jazz, and R&B were what I felt connected to as an artist.

— Raye

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

— Stan Getz

You need better technique than I have to play jazz, but what you have to do is the same thing, isn't it?

— Charlie Watts

Miles Davis was doing something inherently African, something that has to do with all forms of American music, not just jazz.

— Cassandra Wilson

My sister loved country music. My mother loved Spanish music. And my dad was into big band music and jazz.

— Hope Sandoval

I just got to hear every note. After I left Birdland, I started working at the Jazz Gallery. In the end, I…

— Carla Bley

I think jazz is a phenomenal creative force, because it's one man, one vote as you're playing, but it's a collective thing,…

— Herb Alpert

I was going to say is that I come from a rock background, but also I was super interested in jazz for…

— Jherek Bischoff

The world I live in is benefiting from things like satellite radio. Jazz and blues fests are everywhere now, and Americana is…

— Bonnie Raitt

The people know more about [Jazz] in other countries than in America. America is the last country to know about anything, because…

— Art Blakey

I played saxophone, so I was into jazz. I learned from each audience and each teacher that I had. I can't really…

— Chad Hugo

Jazz isn't dead yet. It's the underpinning of everything in this country. Whether it's a Broadway show, or fusion, or right on…

— Dave Brubeck

Elvis might have compromised his musical style a bit towards the end, but that doesn't mean that artists from the rock n'…

— Bonnie Raitt

There's a more experimental album that follows that, which is like Black Magic and While You Were Sleeping. Then there's a return…

— Jose James

It's impossible for me to feel like there's only one way to do a thing. There's nothing wrong with having one way…

— Wes Montgomery

The extent of his influence across jazz, across American music, and around the world has such continuing stature that he is one…

— Stanley Crouch

Barry Harris had a club called Jazz Cultural Theater and there were sessions there on a regular basis. I remember being there…

— Jon Gordon

Paul's One Way Out is a fresh, intelligently arranged, and satisfyingly complete telling of the lengthy (and unlikely) history of the group…

— Ashley Kahn

Jazz is so difficult. A lot of people think once they've learned these licks they can get up and play them for…

— Lester Bowie

“Today you go into make a modern recording with all this technology. The bass plays first, then the drums come in later,…

— Wynton Marsalis

Even my colleagues don't read classic criticism. And my feeling is that if you don't do that then you're not really practicing…

— Gary Giddins

“I don't get jazz. It always sounds like a bunch of toddlers let loose in a music room.”

— Libba Bray

In Europe, they like everything you do. The mistakes and everything. That's a little bit too much.

— Miles Davis

My father's rich, my momma's good looking. Right? And I can play the Blues. I've never suffered and don't intend to suffer.

— Miles Davis

Life on the road is murder. It's as though life begins and ends when you have your horn in your mouth.

— Gerry Mulligan

Musicians have to suffer to a certain degree in order to obtain their outlet.

— Chico Hamilton

I wish you wouldn't make the strings such an important part of your arrangements because frankly they're only a tax dodge!

— Tommy Dorsey

There is a modern take on certain things you can do that, to me, is still jazz.

— Robert Glasper

Technically, I'm not a guitar player, all I play is truth and emotion.

— Jimi Hendrix

Say That! is an iron fist upside the mushy head of smooth jazz, and Grant Geissman's defiant declaration of independence.

— Bill Milkowski

I love good rock'n'roll, blues and jazz, gospel, and a little reggae.

— Jerry Hall

Improvising musicians are musical travelers, voyagers. There is a freedom to wander the musical landscape.

— Gary Burton

The whole basis of my singing is feeling. Unless I feel something, I can't sing.

— Billie Holiday

In a lot of ways, Metallica is like a fusion band. It's not necessarily jazz or any of that, but the music…

— Robert Trujillo

Jazz was born out of the whiskey bottle, was raised on marijiana, and will expire on cocaine.

— Artie Shaw

You can't teach it [jazz singing]. There's nobody who can teach you how to sing jazz. Either you know how to sing…

— Tony Bennett

Jazz, like leadership, combines the unpredictability of the future with the gifts of individuals.

— Max De Pree