--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it was Duke Ellington who once…" description: "\"I think it was Duke Ellington who once said that we're always most pleased with our current record. I mean, you have to assume that you learn from one,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg" --- # I think it was Duke Ellington who once said that we're… ![“I think it was Duke Ellington who once said that we're always most pleased with our current record. I mean, you have to assume that you learn from one, and you do something better next time.” quote by George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg) > “I think it was Duke Ellington who once said that we're always most pleased with our current record. I mean, you have to assume that you learn from one, and you do something better next time.” [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We tend to favor our latest work, assuming it reflects growth, yet true improvement comes from learning from past efforts. **In simple terms:** People love their newest work, but learning matters. Key Takeaway Embrace past mistakes to improve. Themes creativity self‑assessment growth Mood analytical inspirational Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - practice routines - feedback loops - career development Key Concepts learning theory musical evolution Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate genuine improvement? - What role does reflection play in your craft? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on novelty can ignore deeper progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Next Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-next-time/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It's like Duke Ellington said, there are only two kinds of music - good and bad. And you can tell when something is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/it-s-like-duke-ellington-said-there-are-only-two-kinds-of-music-good/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [When I got through, Duke Ellington stood up and started the applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-brown/when-i-got-through-duke-ellington-stood-up-and-started-the-applause/) [Ruth Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-brown/) > [As for my band, well, my mentors were Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Jimmie Lunceford, and no one had a band more smartly dressed than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/as-for-my-band-well-my-mentors-were-duke-ellington-benny-goodman/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [We work so hard on our craft, and once we get out of Duke Ellington, there are not going to be people looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/we-work-so-hard-on-our-craft-and-once-we-get-out-of-duke-ellington/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) > [Count Basie was college, but Duke Ellington was graduate school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-terry/count-basie-was-college-but-duke-ellington-was-graduate-school/) [Clark Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-terry/) > [It's a spirit that was given me and the relationships and meeting all these great people, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong; through Max I met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbey-lincoln/it-s-a-spirit-that-was-given-me-and-the-relationships-and-meeting-all/) [Abbey Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbey-lincoln/) > [I wouldn't know absolutely everything I've been influenced by, but the first jazz I heard was Duke Ellington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-gardot/i-wouldn-t-know-absolutely-everything-i-ve-been-influenced-by-but-the/) [Melody Gardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-gardot/) > [Bebop didn't have the humanity of Duke Ellington. It didn't have that recognizable thing. Bird and Diz were great, fantastic, challenging -- but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/bebop-didn-t-have-the-humanity-of-duke-ellington-it-didn-t-have-that/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [ I learned from Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, the Nicholas Brothers, the whole thing, the whole schmear. \[The Cotton Club\] was a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-learned-from-ethel-waters-duke-ellington-adelaide-hall-the-nicholas/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [At least one day out of the year all musicans should just put their instruments down, and give thanks too Duke Ellington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/at-least-one-day-out-of-the-year-all-musicans-should-just-put-their/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [The musicians, Duke Ellington, his thing was not about separating himself from the rest of America. Louis Armstrong - go to the forefathers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/the-musicians-duke-ellington-his-thing-was-not-about-separating/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Duke Ellington always had a style: original, clean with interesting color combinations. He had an artist's eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/duke-ellington-always-had-a-style-original-clean-with-interesting/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Duke Ellington had a song, "What Am I Here For?" - this is what being pro-life is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/duke-ellington-had-a-song-what-am-i-here-for-this-is-what-being-pro/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [ \[Prince\] could very well be the Duke Ellington of Rock 'n' Roll. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/prince-could-very-well-be-the-duke-ellington-of-rock-n-roll/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I like to think Duke Ellington would probably embrace a fragrance as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-ferry/i-like-to-think-duke-ellington-would-probably-embrace-a-fragrance-as/) [Bryan Ferry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-ferry/) ## More by George Shearing > [I studied with a blind teacher from about 5 until I was 16, at two different schools. From the age of 12 until 16,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-studied-with-a-blind-teacher-from-about-5-until-i-was-16-at-two/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [When people ask me how is it I was a musician, I facetiously say that I'm a firm believer in reincarnation and in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/when-people-ask-me-how-is-it-i-was-a-musician-i-facetiously-say-that/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [The way it works: The orchestra plays a few selections of its own and I terminate the first part of the programme on piano,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/the-way-it-works-the-orchestra-plays-a-few-selections-of-its-own-and/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [Can anybody be given a great degree of creativity? No. They can be given the equipment to develop it-if they have it in them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/can-anybody-be-given-a-great-degree-of-creativity-no-they-can-be/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [If you establish an identity, you build a monster-and thats right, youve got to live with it. Of course, you can enjoy it, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/if-you-establish-an-identity-you-build-a-monster-and-thats-right/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [Perfect retention. I don't think I could do that-I've never disciplined myself to do it. I suppose a lot of it is a question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/perfect-retention-i-don-t-think-i-could-do-that-i-ve-never/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [I was born in London in 1919. I first went to America in 1946 for a three-month holiday. Then I came back, worked here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-was-born-in-london-in-1919-i-first-went-to-america-in-1946-for-a/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [All my musical foundations go back to the age of 3. My family tell me that I used to listen to the old crystal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/all-my-musical-foundations-go-back-to-the-age-of-3-my-family-tell-me/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [I haven't written an awful lot recently, but I think I probably will start again very shortly. Being so much on the road, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-haven-t-written-an-awful-lot-recently-but-i-think-i-probably-will/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [Learn the rules and then break them in such a way as to exercise good taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/learn-the-rules-and-then-break-them-in-such-a-way-as-to-exercise-good/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [We're travelling for about nine-and-a-half months a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/we-re-travelling-for-about-nine-and-a-half-months-a-year/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [I think in certain areas the demand is greater than it has ever been, and my business is better than it's been in 30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-think-in-certain-areas-the-demand-is-greater-than-it-has-ever-been/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [Having a set, popular formula does inhibit you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/having-a-set-popular-formula-does-inhibit-you/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [Can anybody be given creativity? No. Only equipment to develop it if it's in them in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/can-anybody-be-given-creativity-no-only-equipment-to-develop-it-if-it/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [ I always tell people, it took me 10 minutes and 35 years in the business. I get tired of playing it \["Lullaby of Birdland"\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-always-tell-people-it-took-me-10-minutes-and-35-years-in-the/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) [Explore all 24 George Shearing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it was Duke Ellington who once said that we're always most pleased with our current record. I mean, you have to assume that you learn from one, and you do something better next time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Shearing" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-said-that-we-re-always-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-said-that-we-re-always-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/george-shearing-24479_always_i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-s_777064.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it was Duke Ellington who once said that we're always most pleased with our current record. I mean…” — George Shearing", "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": "George Shearing", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think it was Duke Ellington...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-said-that-we-re-always-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/i-think-it-was-duke-ellington-who-once-said-that-we-re-always-most/#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 } } ] } ```