--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so…" description: "\"Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so sophisticated and bad. I wanted to be like that.\" — Carla Bley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/carla-bley-28151_bakers_gerry-mulligan-and-chet-baker-seemed-so_2318574.png" --- # Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so sophisticated and… ![“Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so sophisticated and bad. I wanted to be like that.” quote by Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/carla-bley-28151_bakers_gerry-mulligan-and-chet-baker-seemed-so_2318574.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/carla-bley-28151_bakers_gerry-mulligan-and-chet-baker-seemed-so_2318574.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/carla-bley-28151_bakers_gerry-mulligan-and-chet-baker-seemed-so_2318574.png) > “Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so sophisticated and bad. I wanted to be like that.” [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker embodied a sophisticated, rebellious style that the speaker admired and wanted to emulate. **In simple terms:** She admired their edgy, sophisticated jazz style. Key Takeaway Seek inspiration from bold artistic role models. Themes music style inspiration Mood inspired curious Type musical motivational When to use this quote - musician development - songwriting - performance art - creative workshops Key Concepts jazz improvisation cultural rebellion Questions to Reflect On - How can you adopt influence while maintaining your voice? - What risks come from emulating others? A Different Perspective Imitating style can stifle personal originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mulligans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mulligans/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [When I was banned for nine months I had an opportunity to focus on something else and I needed to focus on something else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/when-i-was-banned-for-nine-months-i-had-an-opportunity-to-focus-on/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [Have this Chet Baker movie coming out and in that situation, I went down the rabbit hole studying Chet Baker and being obsessed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/have-this-chet-baker-movie-coming-out-and-in-that-situation-i-went/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Years ago I was going to play Chet Baker in another movie and I really felt drawn to that character and the script is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/years-ago-i-was-going-to-play-chet-baker-in-another-movie-and-i/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [I listen to music mostly in the evening. I've come to love what is called world music, like the Zimbabwean Oliver Mtukudzi and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-listen-to-music-mostly-in-the-evening-i-ve-come-to-love-what-is/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [I did this movie right after it about the life of Chet Baker. It's called Born to Be Blue. In that situation, there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/i-did-this-movie-right-after-it-about-the-life-of-chet-baker-it-s/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [My job - and it's really true - is that it's constantly evolving and changing. When I was doing the Chet Baker movie I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/my-job-and-it-s-really-true-is-that-it-s-constantly-evolving-and/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [I wanted to be Gerry Mulligan, only, see, I didn't have any kind of technique. So I thought, well, baritone sax is kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-wanted-to-be-gerry-mulligan-only-see-i-didn-t-have-any-kind-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [Chet Faker's a reference to the late Chet Baker. I'm a big fan of his vocal style; it's quite fragile and soft, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/chet-faker-s-a-reference-to-the-late-chet-baker-i-m-a-big-fan-of-his/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [Adele's voice is incredible. Chet Baker also has one of my favorite voices of all time, and so does Joni Mitchell. And Frank Black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-boone/adele-s-voice-is-incredible-chet-baker-also-has-one-of-my-favorite/) [Megan Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-boone/) > [I remember, for my fifth birthday, Chet Baker sat me on the upright piano, and he played just for me for a few minutes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-michel-jarre/i-remember-for-my-fifth-birthday-chet-baker-sat-me-on-the-upright/) [Jean-Michel Jarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-michel-jarre/) > [My mother had a gorgeous singing voice, and she'd play these amazing vinyls. My favorite was 'But Not for Me,' on the 1954 album…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tyree-henry/my-mother-had-a-gorgeous-singing-voice-and-she-d-play-these-amazing/) [Brian Tyree Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tyree-henry/) > [I never got lessons. I took influence from Chet Baker, Ian Dury, and Joe Strummer. I don't hear my voice and think, 'Yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/i-never-got-lessons-i-took-influence-from-chet-baker-ian-dury-and-joe/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [Over time, I've loved jazz, Miles Davis and Chet Baker, then Janis and Jimi and Creedence, then classic rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-lewis/over-time-i-ve-loved-jazz-miles-davis-and-chet-baker-then-janis-and/) [Juliette Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-lewis/) > [Back in Kuwait, I had started listening to a lot of English language music: western music, I would say - Kate Bush and Radiohead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/back-in-kuwait-i-had-started-listening-to-a-lot-of-english-language/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [My mum loves jazz, and together we listen to loads of Chet Baker back home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid/my-mum-loves-jazz-and-together-we-listen-to-loads-of-chet-baker-back/) [Sigrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid/) ## More by Carla Bley > [One performer whose band played my music better than I could myself was Art Farmer. He recorded 'Sing Me Softly of the Blues' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/one-performer-whose-band-played-my-music-better-than-i-could-myself/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [I got started when I was 3 years old because my father was a music teacher and my lessons were free. Instead of learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/i-got-started-when-i-was-3-years-old-because-my-father-was-a-music/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [When you have 13 horns, and one is soloing, you have 12 people to play the richest, fullest chord you could ever imagine behind that solo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/when-you-have-13-horns-and-one-is-soloing-you-have-12-people-to-play/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [I still prefer the bebop of the '40s. The very stuff I started out with is still the best to me. I have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/i-still-prefer-the-bebop-of-the-40s-the-very-stuff-i-started-out-with/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [I don't enjoy traveling in America. I don't like the food, the cars. It is not exotic enough. It all tastes a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/i-don-t-enjoy-traveling-in-america-i-don-t-like-the-food-the-cars-it/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [There are times when what's happening in rock is the best music in the world, and there are times when there is nothing worthwhile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/there-are-times-when-what-s-happening-in-rock-is-the-best-music-in/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [Listening is more important than anything else because that's what music is. Somebody is playing something and you're receiving it. It is sending and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/listening-is-more-important-than-anything-else-because-that-s-what/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [When Ronald Reagan was elected I was on a bus traveling with a band in France. I wrote a little arrangement of The Star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/when-ronald-reagan-was-elected-i-was-on-a-bus-traveling-with-a-band/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [Living composers writing for big band are very few and far between. There are not a lot of them, and I have a talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/living-composers-writing-for-big-band-are-very-few-and-far-between/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [I don't think you can ever regain your ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/i-don-t-think-you-can-ever-regain-your-ignorance/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [I write very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/i-write-very-slowly/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [It would be really hard to get serious about anything political today unless it was a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/it-would-be-really-hard-to-get-serious-about-anything-political-today/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [I just got to hear every note. After I left Birdland, I started working at the Jazz Gallery. In the end, I still couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/i-just-got-to-hear-every-note-after-i-left-birdland-i-started-working/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [When you are studying jazz, the best thing to do is listen to records or listen to live music. It isn't as though you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/when-you-are-studying-jazz-the-best-thing-to-do-is-listen-to-records/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [What's interesting about a person without problems?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/what-s-interesting-about-a-person-without-problems/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) [Explore all 19 Carla Bley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) ## More Bakers quotes > [“Socrates: Have you noticed on our journey how often the citizens of this new land remind each other it is a free country? Plato:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/socrates-have-you-noticed-on-our-journey-how-often-the-citizens-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't have a very good relationship with baking. I do bake sometimes, but my natural instinct is to just do what feels right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thu-tran/i-don-t-have-a-very-good-relationship-with-baking-i-do-bake-sometimes/) [Thu Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thu-tran/) > [I learned to read from Mrs. Augusta Baker, the children's librarian. ... If that was the only good deed that lady ever did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-learned-to-read-from-mrs-augusta-baker-the-children-s-librarian-if/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I have a treasure trove of Baker memories, all of which reinforce my sense of Howard Baker as one of the most decent people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yarmuth/i-have-a-treasure-trove-of-baker-memories-all-of-which-reinforce-my/) [John Yarmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yarmuth/) > [I was always a person on my mother's hip in the kitchen. My mom really wanted her kids at her side as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ray/i-was-always-a-person-on-my-mother-s-hip-in-the-kitchen-my-mom-really/) [Rachael Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ray/) > [I invite all brats to throw their cookies at the baker's head if they're not sweet, winos to chuck their wine if it's bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-invite-all-brats-to-throw-their-cookies-at-the-baker-s-head-if-they/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Bakers of bread rolls and pastry cooks will not buy grain before eleven o'clock in winter and noon in summer; bakers of large loaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/bakers-of-bread-rolls-and-pastry-cooks-will-not-buy-grain-before/) [Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/) > [Kyle Baker's work is really funny, but it's also got a very clear vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-sienkiewicz/kyle-baker-s-work-is-really-funny-but-it-s-also-got-a-very-clear/) [Bill Sienkiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-sienkiewicz/) > [Well, the movie isn't bad. For a while, I even told myself I liked it, even as it missed one mark after another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/well-the-movie-isn-t-bad-for-a-while-i-even-told-myself-i-liked-it/) [David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/) > [In those days Mr. Sherlock Holmes was still living in Baker Street and the Bastables were looking for treasure in the Lewisham Road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-those-days-mr-sherlock-holmes-was-still-living-in-baker-street-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me writing about tennis is like a baker baking bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ion-tiriac/me-writing-about-tennis-is-like-a-baker-baking-bread/) [Ion Tiriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ion-tiriac/) > [When I was little I always wanted to drive a train. That, and become a baker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-i-was-little-i-always-wanted-to-drive-a-train-that-and-become-a/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I played with a left hamstring injury since playing college football at Washington University. I went to doctors all over the country to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-dillon/i-played-with-a-left-hamstring-injury-since-playing-college-football/) [Corey Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-dillon/) > [When George W. Bush decided to save the American position in Iraq by going against the advice of all of his wise men, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-george-w-bush-decided-to-save-the-american-position-in-iraq-by/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [...Holmes, who loathed every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Baker Street, buried among his old books,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/holmes-who-loathed-every-form-of-society-with-his-whole-bohemian-soul/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) Browse all 154 Bakers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so sophisticated and bad. 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