--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never called myself a jazz singer. I…" description: "\"I never called myself a jazz singer. I just call myself a vocalist because I love to sing all kinds of things.\" — Dianne Reeves" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/dianne-reeves-4711_i-love_i-never-called-myself-a-jazz-singer-i-ju_1888597.png" --- # I never called myself a jazz singer. I just call myself a… ![“I never called myself a jazz singer. I just call myself a vocalist because I love to sing all kinds of things.” quote by Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/dianne-reeves-4711_i-love_i-never-called-myself-a-jazz-singer-i-ju_1888597.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/dianne-reeves-4711_i-love_i-never-called-myself-a-jazz-singer-i-ju_1888597.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/dianne-reeves-4711_i-love_i-never-called-myself-a-jazz-singer-i-ju_1888597.png) > “I never called myself a jazz singer. I just call myself a vocalist because I love to sing all kinds of things.” [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identifying as a vocalist emphasizes love for singing over genre labels. **In simple terms:** Focus on passion, not genre. Key Takeaway Let love for music guide your artistic identity. Themes identity artistry genre fluidity Mood inspired passionate Type artistic personal When to use this quote - concert planning - recording sessions - collaborations - teaching Key Concepts music theory personal branding Questions to Reflect On - How does label affect your audience? - What freedoms does a broad identity give? A Different Perspective Genre labels can still influence marketability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I was very adamant about not being called a jazz singer, but now I've embraced it. The way I approach music is through jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-bridgewater/i-was-very-adamant-about-not-being-called-a-jazz-singer-but-now-i-ve/) Dee Dee Bridgewater > [Sometimes I'll be in circles, and I'll say I'm a jazz singer, and they have no idea what that means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/sometimes-i-ll-be-in-circles-and-i-ll-say-i-m-a-jazz-singer-and-they/) [Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/) > [I cringed when I heard myself described as a Jazz singer. I've always thought of myself as a Jazz vocalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-wilson/i-cringed-when-i-heard-myself-described-as-a-jazz-singer-i-ve-always/) [Cassandra Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-wilson/) > [I was a Spanish dancer. I don't mean to put that down, because that was great, too, but nothing like the kind of dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/i-was-a-spanish-dancer-i-don-t-mean-to-put-that-down-because-that-was/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [I'd like to be a jazz singer, but I couldn't possibly do it; nobody would want me, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-moggach/i-d-like-to-be-a-jazz-singer-but-i-couldn-t-possibly-do-it-nobody/) [Deborah Moggach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-moggach/) > [Lizzy Parks. Check this out, this is brilliantShe is a fantastic jazz singer definitely one to watch from now on, she’s got a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/lizzy-parks-check-this-out-this-is-brilliantshe-is-a-fantastic-jazz/) [Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/) > [I like to sing because my mother was a singer. She sang to me all the time, so I learned to love singing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-benson/i-like-to-sing-because-my-mother-was-a-singer-she-sang-to-me-all-the/) [George Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-benson/) > [I don't want to be just a straight pop singer. I'm a vocalist and that's what I want to be seen as in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/i-don-t-want-to-be-just-a-straight-pop-singer-i-m-a-vocalist-and-that/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [ I think that band \[Glenn Miller\] was the beginning of the end. It was a mechanized version of what they called jazz music. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-shaw/i-think-that-band-glenn-miller-was-the-beginning-of-the-end-it-was-a/) [Artie Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-shaw/) > [I never thought that the music called "jazz" was ever meant to reach just a small group of people, or become a museum thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-never-thought-that-the-music-called-jazz-was-ever-meant-to-reach/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I always felt of myself as a composer, performer, improviser. I've never called myself a jazz man. I make art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadada-leo-smith/i-always-felt-of-myself-as-a-composer-performer-improviser-i-ve-never/) [Wadada Leo Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadada-leo-smith/) > [There are a few things that I will hopefully be credited for as a pioneer. One is my four-mallet playing. Another one is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-burton/there-are-a-few-things-that-i-will-hopefully-be-credited-for-as-a/) [Gary Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-burton/) > [I was co-editor of the magazine called The Jazz Review, which was a pioneering magazine because it was the only magazine, then or now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/i-was-co-editor-of-the-magazine-called-the-jazz-review-which-was-a/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [Funk could very easily be called jazz, but you call it funk. Does that really matter? People dig that they associate themselves with certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/funk-could-very-easily-be-called-jazz-but-you-call-it-funk-does-that/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Benny Goodman's band was integrated before baseball. Even before it was physically integrated, music was integrated. Everyone listened to Armstrong and Ellington. The 20s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/benny-goodman-s-band-was-integrated-before-baseball-even-before-it/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) ## More by Dianne Reeves > [One of the things that I love about Sarah Vaughan is that she was always very current.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/one-of-the-things-that-i-love-about-sarah-vaughan-is-that-she-was/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [Early on, I started with classical voice and had that wonderful foundation. For where I wanted to go at that time, there were no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/early-on-i-started-with-classical-voice-and-had-that-wonderful/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I had aunts who played piano and sang and also were entertainers, so music was very much a part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-had-aunts-who-played-piano-and-sang-and-also-were-entertainers-so/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [The thing that I tell young people is everybody is unique in their approach to the music, and you have to protect that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/the-thing-that-i-tell-young-people-is-everybody-is-unique-in-their/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I have a sketch of an idea and I never really talk about: perhaps do another jazz record, but with other elements involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-have-a-sketch-of-an-idea-and-i-never-really-talk-about-perhaps-do/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I knew what the story behind 'Dreams' was. It was about Stevie Knicks' relationship. But when I sing it, it's about sharing some sage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-knew-what-the-story-behind-dreams-was-it-was-about-stevie-knicks/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [My musicians know all of my music, and so that makes for something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/my-musicians-know-all-of-my-music-and-so-that-makes-for-something/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [When I moved to Los Angeles, right away I met all kinds of musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/when-i-moved-to-los-angeles-right-away-i-met-all-kinds-of-musicians/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I had a few celebrity crushes when I was growing up, including Eddie Kendricks from the Temptations. And I loved Marvin Gaye - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-had-a-few-celebrity-crushes-when-i-was-growing-up-including-eddie/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I lived in Los Angeles for a long time, and in a lot of ways, I felt like I lived in my car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-lived-in-los-angeles-for-a-long-time-and-in-a-lot-of-ways-i-felt/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I don't like a lot of monitors on stage. I like the real raw sound of the open piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-don-t-like-a-lot-of-monitors-on-stage-i-like-the-real-raw-sound-of/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [Even in a world with much sadness, at its essence, life is beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/even-in-a-world-with-much-sadness-at-its-essence-life-is-beautiful/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [When I found out how music made me feel and how my singing made other people feel, that's when I decided this is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/when-i-found-out-how-music-made-me-feel-and-how-my-singing-made-other/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [Anything that had to do with music is what I wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/anything-that-had-to-do-with-music-is-what-i-wanted-to-do/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I come from a family of storytellers. My grandmother was great at telling stories, and my mother was an amazing storyteller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-come-from-a-family-of-storytellers-my-grandmother-was-great-at/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) [Explore all 107 Dianne Reeves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) ## More I love quotes > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. 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It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [I love transforming myself constantly because it gives me that 'new' feeling that I'm very much addicted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-mondo/i-love-transforming-myself-constantly-because-it-gives-me-that-new/) [Brad Mondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-mondo/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [Honestly, I love Ruth's Chris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-butler/honestly-i-love-ruth-s-chris/) [Ross Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-butler/) > [I love the game of football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-veon-bell/i-love-the-game-of-football/) [Le'Veon Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-veon-bell/) Browse all 14,666 I love quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never called myself a jazz singer. 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