Jazz Quotes

I cut myself off from the mainstream of jazz. It stood me in good stead later on, as a musician.

As far as playing jazz, no other art form, other than conversation, can give the satisfaction of spontaneous interaction.

If I'm going to be a jazz player, I need to understand Miles Davis.

The history of all big jazz bands shows was, first they played for dancing, and then they played for singing.

If it comes out sounding like Dixieland jazz or classical or punk or rock or even slightly metal, that's because that's where I'm going to find inspiration.

My primary influences were the best jazz players from the 50's and 60's and later some of the pop people from the same time period along with the better of the well known blues musicians.

Rock and roll mainly but I can play passable jazz also.

I took several years of dance lessons that included ballet, tap and jazz. They helped a great deal with body control, balance, a sense of rhythm, and timing.

I progressed through so many different styles of music through my teen years, both as a player and a vocalist, particularly the jazz and pop of the early 20th Century.

In 1994, I started touring again and I recorded two albums for Chesky Jazz.

You know, Equal Interest played at the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival Awards and not one musician from that category was even thought of. Even thought of! The idea, that here's this vital energy, and that element doesn't even know it exists!

I've been invited to do a trio with a fantastic jazz guitarist and a harmonica player.

The economic picture in the States today doesn't allow for jazz concerts in a tour fashion. People now are too used to the Festival, which gives them more names for the same price.

It pulled me like a magnet, jazz did, because it was a way that I could express myself.

Growing up, I was very much interested in jazz music.

We didn't go for music that sounded like blues, or jazz, or rock, or Led Zeppelin, or Rolling Stones. We didn't want to be like any of the other bands.

I think that people should learn about that. In most music, there's one way that you do something, and that's the only way. In jazz, it's a lot different.

I love that pre-mod jazz look of the late Fifties, the Steve McQueen style that influenced the British modernists.

By its very nature, no one person can ever be the center of jazz.

The whole rise of new adult contemporary music and smooth jazz was a nice surprise.

Jazz is the only music in which the same note can be played night after night but differently each time.

Well, jazz is to me, a complete lifestyle. It's bigger than a word. It's a much bigger force than just something that you can say. It's something that you have to feel. It's something that you have to live.

There's the tradition in jazz of having the Battle of the Bands, and you do not want to get your head cut when you're playing.

Jazz is not the popular culture. Jazz is in the same position in our culture as classical music. A very small minority of people really love it.

I don't like freedom jazz - I think it's void of roots and void of foundation.

From blood banking to the modern subway, from jazz to social justice, the contributions of African Americans have shaped and molded and influenced our national culture and our national character.

The whole world loves American movies, blue jeans, jazz and rock and roll. It is probably a better way to get to know our country than by what politicians or airline commercials represent.

Coltrane came to New Orleans one day and he was talking about the jazz scene. And Coltrane mentions that the problem with jazz was that there were too few groups.

I was really small when jazz broke through in England and I can still remember sneaking off to the living room to listen to it on the radio - much to my parent's disapproval.

I learned from my uncle that jazz, like symphony music, was built to last.