It's a complicated story [hoe I got into music ]. I actually wrote a book about it, titled For Sue. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I just think that I associated music with something that was healing and transformative as a kid. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I think that's important to remember - That we're blessed to even be able to attempt to do this [music]. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Particularly, in my situation, I needed a way out of where I was. So music was that. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
Connection to the music and the history was very powerful to me. I think that's what I feel the most blessed about. — 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
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 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
Now we also need people who just love to listen to the music. And we need people that want to work to… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
A guy like Scott [Robinson] plays the whole history of music on every instrument you've ever heard of. He's just kind of… — 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
I had a really nice association with Richie DeRosa, a great musician, a great drummer and composer and arranger. And I had… — 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
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
When we hear music that we love that changes the world for us, we might as well at least aspire to something… — 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… — 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
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
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
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… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
We [with my mother] listened to music when I was a kid. We listened to a little bit of Bob's [Gordon] music,… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I think [Phil Wood] didn't suffer fools gladly, but he loved supporting young people that loved the music. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I saw that [music] reflected in my mother when we listened to these records [of Bob Gordon]. And I felt it too. — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
There are a lot of different ways you can be a part of this music and love it and make a contribution… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
I have to say, music was always my self preservation survival technique. This sort of sacred space in my life and in… — 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
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
I heard these stories [about musicians from my mother] and somehow music, it was my understanding what my father had done. I… — Jon Gordon Copy Share Image
A lot of musicians have said things to me like, "Music saved my life". And "I'm standing on the shoulders of dozens… — 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
![“It's a complicated story [hoe I got into music ]. I actually wrote a book about it, titled For Sue.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/266/jon-gordon-1655_book_it-s-a-complicated-story-hoe-i-got-into_1810963.jpg)
![“I think that's important to remember - That we're blessed to even be able to attempt to do this [music].” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/29f/jon-gordon-1655_able_i-think-that-s-important-to-remember-tha_1307024.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)
![“A guy like Scott [Robinson] plays the whole history of music on every instrument you've ever heard of. He's just kind of an unparalleled genius.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/901/jon-gordon-1655_genius_a-guy-like-scott-robinson-plays-the-whol_915968.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)
![“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)
![“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)
![“We [with my mother] listened to music when I was a kid. We listened to a little bit of Bob's [Gordon] music, but just a little, I think it was too painful for her.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9dc/jon-gordon-1655_bits_we-with-my-mother-listened-to-music-when_1286460.jpg)
![“I think [Phil Wood] didn't suffer fools gladly, but he loved supporting young people that loved the music.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/98f/jon-gordon-1655_fool_i-think-phil-wood-didn-t-suffer-fools-gl_2299258.jpg)
![“I saw that [music] reflected in my mother when we listened to these records [of Bob Gordon]. And I felt it too.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/539/jon-gordon-1655_bob_i-saw-that-music-reflected-in-my-mother_2694864.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)
![“I heard these stories [about musicians from my mother] and somehow music, it was my understanding what my father had done. I didn't know it was misinformation. It sort of inwardly in my psyche laid the template for music being affiliated with my father and my family.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/jon-gordon-1655_done_i-heard-these-stories-about-musicians-fr_2640766.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)