I just lucked into a lot of good people man. In my life and through friends, and in the music, that really… — 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
We had a great educator [in the school band], a man named Larry Laurenzano. He was tough, but we knew that he… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I saw a nice interview with Dave Binney recently. He was saying, "Man it was never easy. It's not like 'Oh wow,… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Percy France told me, similarly, he and Bird used to hang out. They were good buddies. And he said, "Man, we'd just… — 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
You hear about the struggles with substances and all that, but [Phil Wood] was a really a great guy. This was a… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I would sit in at a jazz brunch [at sweet Basil] with Eddie Chamblee, who was a great tenor player. Really a… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Phil [Wood] said to me in the car going back, he said, "Look man, you better know why you're playing this music.… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
When I was a kid, I always saw these pictures of a man called Bob Gordon with a baritone saxophone, who I… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
There's a story about when President Lyndon Johnson visited NASA and as he was walking the halls he came across a janitor… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Hearing Phil [wood] a lot, those few years especially when I was going to hear music and Tom Harrell was in the… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
A man goes to the village to visit the wise man and he says to the wise man, “I feel like there… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Sometimes you think "Okay, well I'm going to play my horn, and I'm going to study Charlie "Bird" Parker solos or [John… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
We still talk about [school band]. Almost 40 years later. It's like people are talking about, "Man we need to have a… — 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
![“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)
![“We had a great educator [in the school band], a man named Larry Laurenzano. He was tough, but we knew that he loved us. And that was the beginning of playing music with people and really being inspired and having fun and being in a community.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7dd/jon-gordon-1655_band_we-had-a-great-educator-in-the-school-ba_592776.jpg)
![“You hear about the struggles with substances and all that, but [Phil Wood] was a really a great guy. This was a great man.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/536/jon-gordon-1655_great-guy_you-hear-about-the-struggles-with-substa_964059.jpg)
![“I would sit in at a jazz brunch [at sweet Basil] with Eddie Chamblee, who was a great tenor player. Really a kind man. The whole band was great.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bc6/jon-gordon-1655_band_i-would-sit-in-at-a-jazz-brunch-at-sweet_1147668.jpg)
![“Phil [Wood] said to me in the car going back, he said, "Look man, you better know why you're playing this music. Because I've known too many who lived and died for it. And if you're not trying to change the world, I'm not interested."” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/815/jon-gordon-1655_car_phil-wood-said-to-me-in-the-car-going-ba_1411056.jpg)
![“Hearing Phil [wood] a lot, those few years especially when I was going to hear music and Tom Harrell was in the band. Man that was incredible. Hearing Tom at that period, and hearing Phil in that period, and also [Charles] McPherson. Those three guys were very impactful. Very inspiring to me at…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ef/jon-gordon-1655_band_hearing-phil-wood-a-lot-those-few-years_2009771.jpg)
![“Sometimes you think "Okay, well I'm going to play my horn, and I'm going to study Charlie "Bird" Parker solos or [John Coltrain] or whatever." But as [Phil Wood] said to me, "Man, Bird listened to everything."” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f4e/jon-gordon-1655_bird_sometimes-you-think-okay-well-i-m-going_2575076.jpg)
![“We still talk about [school band]. Almost 40 years later. It's like people are talking about, "Man we need to have a morning band reunion".” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a1a/jon-gordon-1655_band_we-still-talk-about-school-band-almost-4_2935248.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)