Jazz Quotes

1344 Jazz quotes by 630 unique authors

Trane was the perfect saxophonist for Monk's music because of the space that Monk always used. Trane could fill up all that space with all… — Miles Davis
In Europe, they like everything you do. The mistakes and everything. That's a little bit too much. — Miles Davis
I tried practicing for a few weeks and ended up playing too fast. — Paul Desmond
Our basic audience begins with creaking elderly types of twenty-three and above. — Paul Desmond
When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again. — Eric Dolphy
I'd listened to [Ornette Coleman] all kinds of ways. I listened to him high and I listened to him cold sober. I even played with… — Roy Eldridge
I resolved to play my trumpet like a sax. — Roy Eldridge
I can play, and I know it; I'm not looking for any pats on the back. I don't have to be endorsed by anybody. I… — Unknown Author
For some reason that only a sociologist might be able to accurately explain, the Brazilian Press was extremely unkind to me, reporting only selective derogatory… — Unknown Author
Miles got a mystique about him-plus he's at the top of his profession. And he's got way, way, way more money. — Dizzy Gillespie
Jazz to me is a living music. It's a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people. — Dexter Gordon
What I'm doing, I prefer to call that jazz, because it is a beautiful word - I love it. — Dexter Gordon
Personally, I can't see how anyone can produce any beautiful music out of being angry. — Chico Hamilton
At this stage of my life, I've dedicated myself to playing what I want to play, how I want to play it for the rest… — Chico Hamilton
The type of band that I have now, the type of music that we're playing you either like it or you dislike it. If you… — Chico Hamilton
There was a lot that was tricky about playing with [Thelonious Monk]. It's a musical language where there's really no lyrics. It's something you feel… — Roy Haynes
The people in Japan know more about the history of jazz and the musicians than the people in the United States do. — Billy Higgins
I was talented but crazy, semi-autistic and eccentric. — Andrew Hill
I'm trying to make music a sensual expression, not an academic experiment. — Andrew Hill
I finally realized that my relaxation is practicing the piano and writing. I've tried to do other things, but I've learned through the decades, that… — Andrew Hill
These magic moments when rhythms and harmonies extend themselves and jell together and the people become another instrument. These things are priceless and they can't… — Andrew Hill
The whole basis of my singing is feeling. Unless I feel something, I can't sing. — Billie Holiday
[Lee Morgan] was the only young cat that scared me when he played. He had so much fire and natural feeling. I had more technique,… — Freddie Hubbard
Don't make the mistakes I made of not taking care of myself. Please, keeps your chops cool and don't overblow. If you are going to… — Freddie Hubbard
I used to try to play like [Miles Davis], and Miles caught me copying him one night at Birdland. He said, 'Hey man, why don't… — Freddie Hubbard

Who Wrote These Jazz Quotes

630 authors contributed a total of 1,344 Jazz Quotes, led by these top contributors: