Get QuoteDark Inspirational Quotes App

" The singer is always an ambassador of music. "

Related Quotes:

" There's a spiritual complement to any attempt at transposing a commitment to humanity through music or art. "

" You want to be doing your best work whatever field of the arts you're in because your life's going to be over all too soon, and you have to make the most of it. "

" As improvisers, we're acting as composers in front of people. "

" I can't say New York's home, but I've made a lot of friends, and I'm developing a map of what cats are here and where they play, and as a singer, you're always looking for projects that tie things in emotionally and intuitively with your life. "

" I've got more low notes than I had when I started. "

" Salacious? I suppose every once in a while the salacious thing is not a bad thing. It's kind of monochromatic if that's all you do. "

" Listening to something without being present is different from being there in the flesh. "

" Grammy nominations are certainly pleasant, but you can forget about them and lead a perfectly happy life - provided you have the approval of the musicians you work with. "

" I think I make most of my decisions pretty organically. "

" I've worked with a number of big bands, but there's nothing in life like the Basie band. "

" A lot of the commercial world wants to bank in on the cachet that jazz brings. "

" There are incredible musicians around the world. "

" I haven't been afraid of John Coltrane or Miles Davis or Bill Evans or Wayne Shorter or Herbie Hancock. Why would I be afraid of the Beatles? "

" The musicians in Chicago gave me my vocation, but New York calls to a jazz musician, for sure. You want to test your mettle. "

" I consider myself very fortunate. I have a beautiful wife who supports my work and is raising our daughter when I'm out on the road. "

" I hope that I'm also maturing emotionally as a human being as things go on. "

" I don't really have a more intellectualized approach. After the fact, I can sure talk about stuff a lot - but when I make decisions, I really just follow what sounds good to me. "

" You don't want to make records so you can win a Grammy. You make records because you want to be a musician. "

" People just want to dig; they want to dance. They don't want to work all through the night, and neither do I. I like getting 'out there,' but communication should be occurring on more levels than heavy-laden philosophical. "

" You learn as much as you can from the people that you work with. That's why you want to surround yourself with the heaviest people that you can possibly get to. "

Surround Yourself

" If I was going to sell out, I would do it for more than 10,000 records. "

" I try to stick with things that I can sing with honesty. "

" I think my intention was there, and my love for the music was apparent. And there are very few singers who get up and desire to take the kinds of risks that jazz musicians routinely need to be taking. "

" Part of my joy as a singer is to give gifts to people, and one way I try to connect to them is to add something in French or German or whatever. "

" People want to have access to jazz because it has a vibe that's very strong. "

" My intellect was quickened at divinity school, and my abilities to discern were strengthened, and that's always valuable. "

" I'm lucky that I enjoy touring as much as I do. I'm not going to make a living just making records. "

" That's the thing: There are so many art songs in jazz. It's a much more rich experience for the singer than people think. "

" You don't just let a guy drop off the earth and not come together with everybody who knew him and loved him and respected him. You try to do it the right way. "

" Out in L.A., things relax even further than they do in Chicago. There's such a looseness to it, and there's a potentially refreshing advantage to that. "