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Jazz quotes 2

Building off of my recent "Jazz Quotes" post from April, I wanted to share some more quotes and music to inspire everyone. The aim is that the quote will compliment the music, and vice versa. Hopefully you can relate the quote and music to your own life. 
1. Dave Brubeck

There's a way of playing safe, there's a way of using tricks and there's the way I like to play, which is dangerously, where you’re going to take a chance on making mistakes in order to create something you haven't created before.

Listen to Dave Brubeck playing, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow":

2. Art Blakey

Jazz washes away the dust of every day life.

Listen to Art Blakey play, "Nica's Dream":

3. Bill Evans

Jazz is a mental attitude rather than a style. It uses a certain process of the mind expressed spontaneously through some musical instrument. I'm concerned with retaining that process.

Watch Bill Evans play, "My Foolish Heart":

4. Bill Frisell

Music, for me, has always been a place where anything is possible--a refuge, a magical world where anyone can go, where all kinds of people can come together, and anything can happen. We are limited only by our imaginations.

Listen to Bill Frisell play, "The Days of Wine and Roses":

5. Bobby Hutcherson

The whole thing of being in music is not to control it but to be swept away by it. If you're swept away by it you can't wait to do it again and the same magical moments always come.

Listen to Bobby Hutcherson play, "Old Devil Moon":

6. Cannonball Adderley

Hipness is not a state of mind, it's a fact of life!

Listen to Cannonball Adderley play, "Sack O' Woe":

7. Cecil Taylor

Improvisation is the ability to talk to oneself.

Listen to Cecil Taylor play, "Bemsha Swing":

8. Charlie Haden

Don't think of yourself as a jazz musician. Think of yourself as a human being who plays music.

Listen to Charlie Haden play, "Where Can I Go Without You?":

9. Clark Terry

Imitate, assimilate, and innovate.

Watch Clark Terry play, "Pennies From Heaven":

10. Don Cherry

When people believe in boundaries, they become part of them.

Listen to Don Cherry play, "Guinea":

I think these kind of thoughtful, inspirational quotes help connect the music to the people who created it. When I listen to jazz, I feel like I am listening to an old friend - jazz is a music of people.


This summer I am excited to be able to attend the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, and the Detroit Jazz Festival. There are also many local jazz festivals around Massachusetts that I look forward to attending throughout the summer and fall such as the Beantown Jazz Festival and the Cambridge Jazz Festival. I think festivals are the best way to start listening to jazz - they are social, informal, outside, full of vendors, and you can go with all your friends. They make perfect tourist stops and vacations as well - soak up the sun while listening to jazz!

Posted by Grace-Mary at 12:15 PM Labels: #CD, #education, #jazz, #music


