---
title: "3 Jackie McLean Quotes - Famous Composer"
description: "American jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator (1931–2006)... | John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, band..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b194/author-jackie-mclean-76393.jpg"
---

![Portrait of Jackie McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b194/author-jackie-mclean-76393.jpg)

# Jackie McLean

(1931–2006)   Composer

 **3** quotes in **24** categories

Rate this collection:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

Jackie McLean was a composer.

## Quick Facts About Jackie McLean

Born May 17, 1931

Died March 31, 2006

Profession Composer

## About Jackie McLean

American jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator (1931–2006)... \| John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. He is one of the few musicians to be elected to the DownBeat Hall of Fame in the year of their death.

##  Quotes by Jackie McLean

> [I never really sounded like Bird, but that was my mission. I didn't care if people said that I copied him; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mclean/i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-that-was-my-mission-i-didn-t/)

[Jackie McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/)

[Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/jackie-mclean-76393_bird_i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-tha_488456.jpg)

> [I tell my students, 'It's an important tradition and you have to go back and hear this music and learn its language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mclean/i-tell-my-students-it-s-an-important-tradition-and-you-have-to-go/)

[Jackie McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/)

[Havens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/havens/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/jackie-mclean-76393_havens_i-tell-my-students-it-s-an-important-tra_1691509.png)

> [If you can sing it, you can play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mclean/if-you-can-sing-it-you-can-play-it/)

[Jackie McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/)

[Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/jackie-mclean-76393_ifs_if-you-can-sing-it-you-can-play-it-21617_2161780.png)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/#itemlist",
            "name": "Jackie McLean Quotes",
            "numberOfItems": 3,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "I never really sounded like Bird, but that was my mission. I didn't care if people said that I copied him; I loved Bird's playing so much. But Mingus was the one that really pushed me away from the idea and forced me into thinking about having an individual sound and concept. That's what I got from Mingus.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Jackie McLean"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mclean/i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-that-was-my-mission-i-didn-t/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/jackie-mclean-76393_bird_i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-tha_488456.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/jackie-mclean-76393_bird_i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-tha_488456.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/jackie-mclean-76393_bird_i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-tha_488456.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“I never really sounded like Bird, but that was my mission. I didn't care if people said that I copied him; I…” — Jackie McLean",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "I tell my students, 'It's an important tradition and you have to go back and hear this music and learn its language all the way through. How are you going to know what's new to play, if you haven't listened to everything that's old?'",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Jackie McLean"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mclean/i-tell-my-students-it-s-an-important-tradition-and-you-have-to-go/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/jackie-mclean-76393_havens_i-tell-my-students-it-s-an-important-tra_1691509.png",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/jackie-mclean-76393_havens_i-tell-my-students-it-s-an-important-tra_1691509.png",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/jackie-mclean-76393_havens_i-tell-my-students-it-s-an-important-tra_1691509.png",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“I tell my students, 'It's an important tradition and you have to go back and hear this music and learn its…” — Jackie McLean",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "If you can sing it, you can play it.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Jackie McLean"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mclean/if-you-can-sing-it-you-can-play-it/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/jackie-mclean-76393_ifs_if-you-can-sing-it-you-can-play-it-21617_2161780.png",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/jackie-mclean-76393_ifs_if-you-can-sing-it-you-can-play-it-21617_2161780.png",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/jackie-mclean-76393_ifs_if-you-can-sing-it-you-can-play-it-21617_2161780.png",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“If you can sing it, you can play it.” — Jackie McLean",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "Person",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/#person",
            "name": "Jackie McLean",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/",
            "image": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b194/author-jackie-mclean-76393.jpg",
            "description": "American jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator (1931–2006)... | John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. He is one of the few musicians to be elected to the DownBeat Hall of Fame in the year of their death."
        },
        {
            "@type": "ProfilePage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/",
            "name": "Jackie McLean",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/#person"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/jackie-mclean-76393_bird_i-never-really-sounded-like-bird-but-tha_488456.jpg"
            },
            "description": "American jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator (1931–2006)... | John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, band...",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/#breadcrumb",
            "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": "Authors",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/authors/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Jackie McLean",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mclean/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```