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.

Talent is cheap, and many talents treat themselves cheaply.

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.

You can’t explain Jazz to anyone without losing the experience because it’s feeling, not words.

First of all, I never strive for identity. That’s something that just has happened automatically as a result, I think, of just putting things together, tearing things apart and putting it together my own way, and somehow I guess the individual comes through eventually.

I went through a lot of mental pains and anguish about choosing between jazz and classical. I realized that where I functioned was where I should be, and where I functioned was in jazz, so that was it.

I’ve said that playing the blues is like having to be black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed on both counts, but I never noticed.

As far as music school goes, I walked through Berkelee one time.

I think I love it more as I get older because I keep getting better on drums, vibes and piano.

Critics don’t buy records. They get ’em free.

Play for the spiritual aspect, the emotion.

I think I was supposed to play Jazz.

If you have something in your life worth celebrating, you can put it in a blues song.

Music and life are all about style.

The whole concept for the Yeezus album is that we’re not going to be using CDs in the future and since this is the last time we’re going to see it, this is an open casket for the CD.

I think you have to leave a lot to the imagination!

A chimpanzee could learn what I do physically, but it goes way beyond that. When you play, you play life.

I never heard of a Jazz musician who retired. You love what you do, so what are you going to do… play for the walls?

If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!

A lot of singers think all they have to do is exercise their tonsils to get ahead. They refuse to look for new ideas and new outlets, so they fall by the wayside… I’m going to try to find out the new ideas before the others do.

Art is a subject that is inundated with opinions. In fact, that’s all it is about is opinions.