Bill Evans

You give up your own personality when you imitate somebody.

I believe in things that are developed through hard work. I always like people who have developed long and hard, especially through introspection and a lot of dedication. I think what they arrive at is usually a much deeper and more beautiful thing than the person who seems to have that ability and fluidity from the beginning. I say this because it’s a good message to give to young talents who feel as I used to.

Jazz isn’t a what, it’s a how.

I like people who have worked long and hard, developing through introspection and dedication.

It’s performing without any really set basis for the lines and the content as such emotionally or, specifically, musically. And if you sit down and contemplate what you’re going to do, and take five hours to write five minutes of music, then it’s composed music. Therefore I would put it in the classical or serious, whatever you want to call it, written-music category. So there’s composed music and there’s jazz. And to me anybody that makes music using the process that we are using in Jazz, is playing Jazz.

When you begin to teach jazz, the most dangerous thing is that you tend to teach style…I had eleven piano students, and I would say eight of them didn’t even want to know about chords or anything – they didn’t even want to do anything that anybody had ever done, because they didn’t want to be imitators. Well, of course, this is pretty naive…but nevertheless it does bring to light the fact that if you’re going to try to teach jazz…you must abstract the principles of music which have nothing to do with style, and this is exceedingly difficult. So there, the teaching of jazz is a very touchy point. It ends up where the jazz player, ultimately, if he’s going to be a serious jazz player, teaches himself.

It’s always Jazz. You can put a new dress on her, a new hat, but no matter what kind of clothes she’s the same old broad.

I like chords that are very lush with all the lush parts taken out.

Jazz is a beautiful woman whose older brother is a policeman.

The hidden things, the subconscious that lies in the body and lets you know: You feel this, you play this.

Those who wish to sing, always find a song.

If you can’t play the blues, you might as well hang it up.

If you want to be a good blues singer, people are going to be down on you, so dress like you’re going to the bank to borrow money.

I discovered very early that it wasn’t quite enough for me to imitate people.

Miles’ sessions were not typical of anybody else’s sessions. They were totally unique.

It takes an intelligent ear to listen to Jazz.

Django was the definitive genius on the guitar, and the depth of his gift was so spectacular.

I want people to walk away with the same joy, hope and love that I put into my music.

I’m going to be on the road for the rest of my life.

The more you play, the more you hear and the more you hear, the more you want to play.

The blues comes right back to a person’s feelings, to his daily activities in life. But rich people don’t know nothing about the blues, please believe me.