Benny Goodman

After you’ve done all the work and prepared as much as you can, what the hell, you might as well go out and have a good time.

If a guy’s got it, let him give it. I’m selling music, not prejudice.

To this day, I don’t like people walking on stage not looking good. You have to look good. If you feel special about yourself then you’re going to play special.

Too many young musicians today want to win polls before they learn their instruments.

I remember Glenn Miller coming to me once, before he had his own band, saying, How do you do it? How do you get started? It’s so difficult. I told him, I don’t know but whatever you do don’t stop. Just keep on going.

One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ’em. The obstacles are all there; there are a million of ’em.

You can have the greatest player in terms of mastering an instrument and be yawning your head off.

Forgive me if I don’t have the words. Maybe I can sing it and you’ll understand.

I try stuff. I synthesize what’s of value with some of the other things I have at my disposal.

I was a singing disc jockey who heard every type of music there was – and loved it all.

Tomorrow you’ll wish you had practiced harder today.

I’ve never recorded anything I didn’t like.

A Jazz musician is a juggler who uses harmonies instead of oranges.

Art [Blakey] would take young people with a potential and help them develop a voice as a player and as a writer.

To compose music, all you need to do is remember a tune that no one else has thought of.

If I’m not saying it in four choruses or less, then I’m not saying it.

I don’t do something because I think it will sell 30 million albums. I couldn’t care less. If it sells one, it sells one.

I’ll play it first and tell you what it is afterwards.

I’m an interpreter of stories. When I perform it’s like sitting down at my piano and telling fairy stories.

You’re just a little too hip for the room. It’s not good to be too hip because two hips make an ass.

We may not be changing the world dramatically, but we’re improving it one note at a time.