--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Jazz should be recognized as music of the…" description: "\"Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in a lot of accents and melodies. What is jazz but music that people danced to? Jazz has the dy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png" --- # Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in… ![“Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in a lot of accents and melodies. What is jazz but music that people danced to? Jazz has the dynamic thing. I don't think you have to be playing only Charlie Parker licks on your horn or whatever the new version of that is.” quote by Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png) > “Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in a lot of accents and melodies. What is jazz but music that people danced to? Jazz has the dynamic thing. I don't think you have to be playing only Charlie Parker licks on your horn or whatever the new version of that is.” [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Jazz is a communal, evolving art form rooted in diverse rhythms and melodies, not limited to technical virtuosity. **In simple terms:** Jazz is people’s music, constantly changing. Key Takeaway Embrace the spirit, not just the notes. Themes community creativity tradition improvisation Mood joyful reflective Type musical cultural When to use this quote - Live performances - music education - cultural festivals - personal practice Key Concepts Cultural expression musical evolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor tradition while innovating? - What does “people’s music” mean to you? A Different Perspective Technical skill alone doesn’t capture jazz’s soul. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) [Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/based/) [Charlie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlie/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlie-parker/) [Danced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danced/) [Danced Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danced-jazz-4381329/) [Dynamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dynamic/) [Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horn/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Jazz Dynamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz-dynamic-4957503/) [Jazz music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz-music/) [Jazz Recognized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz-recognized-5813903/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Melodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melodies/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parker/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Recognized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognized/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Version](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/version/) [Whatever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whatever/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [I'm aware that a lot of what is happening in jazz has not had a very dynamic change in a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-m-aware-that-a-lot-of-what-is-happening-in-jazz-has-not-had-a-very/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [There was a time, from 1935-1946, when teenagers and young adults danced to jazz-orientated bands. When jazz orchestras dominated pop charts and when influential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-yanow/there-was-a-time-from-1935-1946-when-teenagers-and-young-adults/) [Scott Yanow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-yanow/) > [Charlie Parker stuck out in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-rollins/charlie-parker-stuck-out-in-my-mind/) [Sonny Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-rollins/) > [It was my band. I organized the band and Dizzy was in the band. Dizzy was the first musical director with the band. Charlie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/it-was-my-band-i-organized-the-band-and-dizzy-was-in-the-band-dizzy/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [When I did 'Bird,' it was a surprise to some people, first because I wasn't in it and second because most of the films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/when-i-did-bird-it-was-a-surprise-to-some-people-first-because-i-wasn/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Charlie Parker was a genius, as was Lester Young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-coe/charlie-parker-was-a-genius-as-was-lester-young/) [Sebastian Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-coe/) > [Mozart was born Mozart. Charlie Parker was born Charlie Parker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/mozart-was-born-mozart-charlie-parker-was-born-charlie-parker/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [There was not a lot of rock n' roll in the house. Our parents didn't think it was very groovy, and I tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-was-not-a-lot-of-rock-n-roll-in-the-house-our-parents-didn-t/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I love guys like Charlie Parker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-love-guys-like-charlie-parker/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > ['The Simpsons' is like Charlie Parker or Marlon Brando or Richard Pryor: Comedy couldn't go back to the way it was after 'The Simpsons'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-andre/the-simpsons-is-like-charlie-parker-or-marlon-brando-or-richard-pryor/) [Eric Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-andre/) > [Bop began with Jazz but one afternoon somewhere on a sidewalk maybe 1939, 1940, Dizzy Gillespie or Charlie Parker or Thelonious Monk was walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bop-began-with-jazz-but-one-afternoon-somewhere-on-a-sidewalk-maybe/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [As a very small girl, I listened to Charlie Parker and loved him and Max Roach and people like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aretha-franklin/as-a-very-small-girl-i-listened-to-charlie-parker-and-loved-him-and/) [Aretha Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aretha-franklin/) > [I’ve worked with such legendary guitar players as Allan Holdsworth, Ronnie Montrose, Eric Clapton, Lowell George and Steve Vai, but none of them come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-templeman/i-ve-worked-with-such-legendary-guitar-players-as-allan-holdsworth/) [Ted Templeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-templeman/) > [In all honesty, I think I just played what I felt was right for me. And I think I would have done the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-carter/in-all-honesty-i-think-i-just-played-what-i-felt-was-right-for-me-and/) [Benny Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-carter/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) ## More by Al Jarreau > [I want to give the audience the whole package, and for me, the whole package is to give them something fresh as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-want-to-give-the-audience-the-whole-package-and-for-me-the-whole/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm a Buckeye at heart. I spend more time giving concerts in Ohio than I do in any other state - perhaps more time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-buckeye-at-heart-i-spend-more-time-giving-concerts-in-ohio-than/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Let that get you up in the morning and put the light in your eyes. I'm telling you, it makes you a better husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/let-that-get-you-up-in-the-morning-and-put-the-light-in-your-eyes-i-m/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm an R&B and pop singer as well as a jazzer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-an-r-b-and-pop-singer-as-well-as-a-jazzer/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I really do see it as the start of the second half of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-really-do-see-it-as-the-start-of-the-second-half-of-my-career/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Every day is Thanksgiving.On this stage you're going to hear God and none of them other words, and I ain't going to touch my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/every-day-is-thanksgiving-on-this-stage-you-re-going-to-hear-god-and/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I came along with that crowd of singer-songwriters who were able to make their own statements in such a personal way that it changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-came-along-with-that-crowd-of-singer-songwriters-who-were-able-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I think being a little older and a little more determined and being a little more evolved in my case and maturity in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-think-being-a-little-older-and-a-little-more-determined-and-being-a/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [When you do a lyric for 'April in Paris,' those who have heard it before can hear it in a different way now. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/when-you-do-a-lyric-for-april-in-paris-those-who-have-heard-it-before/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I was age six or seven, and singing, "Jesus wants me for her son, beep, to shine for him," and people smiled and pinched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-was-age-six-or-seven-and-singing-jesus-wants-me-for-her-son-beep-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I have this image in my head of me in the house I grew up in, and hearing this incredible music on the television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-have-this-image-in-my-head-of-me-in-the-house-i-grew-up-in-and/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I sat on the piano bench next to my mother in church. Something happened before I set foot on this planet. I was crawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-sat-on-the-piano-bench-next-to-my-mother-in-church-something/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm a little bit nervous for us with all of this electronically generated new hyper-space that we've moved into, where not only people but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-little-bit-nervous-for-us-with-all-of-this-electronically/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [The Metropole Orchestra is like Count Basie or Duke Ellington with strings... it's strings that swing. Strings that swing like Dizzy Gillespie... keep swinging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/the-metropole-orchestra-is-like-count-basie-or-duke-ellington-with/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I came here with something in me that I inherited from my folks. So I'm going to do something called life and times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-came-here-with-something-in-me-that-i-inherited-from-my-folks-so-i/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) [Explore all 90 Al Jarreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) ## More Accents quotes > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [“It's not my accent, but my brevity makes me stylish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/it-s-not-my-accent-but-my-brevity-makes-me-stylish/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [You can't live in a dialect without tremendous work. Like any muscle, accents and voices and languages are all formed out of the muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-bell/you-can-t-live-in-a-dialect-without-tremendous-work-like-any-muscle/) [Lake Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-bell/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I don't think you see a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, for example. And even with the accents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/i-don-t-think-you-see-a-pirate-with-a-parrot-on-his-shoulder-for/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [I'm a Yente and I have a terrible accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-m-a-yente-and-i-have-a-terrible-accent/) [Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/) > [In bed watching Family Guy. Love this show.! So hilarious! Stewie is my favorite :) love his accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/in-bed-watching-family-guy-love-this-show-so-hilarious-stewie-is-my/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [American accents often sound much more confident than British ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/american-accents-often-sound-much-more-confident-than-british-ones/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Much of my playing is rhythmic and choppy; I use a lot of double stops. The wah just accents all those stops and chops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/much-of-my-playing-is-rhythmic-and-choppy-i-use-a-lot-of-double-stops/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [“The accent of one's birthplace persists in the mind and heart as much as in speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rouchefoucauld/the-accent-of-one-s-birthplace-persists-in-the-mind-and-heart-as-much/) [La Rouchefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-rouchefoucauld/) > [Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/years-later-when-i-was-working-as-a-trolley-wally-in-a-supermarket-i/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I live in L.A. so I worry my kids aren't that connected to Britain, I suppose I don't want them to become American kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/i-live-in-l-a-so-i-worry-my-kids-aren-t-that-connected-to-britain-i/) [Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/) [Browse all 749 Accents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in a lot of accents and melodies. What is jazz but music that people danced to? Jazz has the dynamic thing. I don't think you have to be playing only Charlie Parker licks on your horn or whatever the new version of that is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Jarreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-the-people-based-in-a-lot-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-the-people-based-in-a-lot-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/al-jarreau-7533_accents_jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-th_3178405.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in a lot of accents and melodies. What is jazz but…” — Al Jarreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Jarreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Jazz should be recognized as music...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-the-people-based-in-a-lot-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/jazz-should-be-recognized-as-music-of-the-people-based-in-a-lot-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```