D C DowDell

The true value of this music lies in an artist’s individual creativity and that unique process of expression which is Jazz.

Practice as if you are the worst, play as if you are the best!

The true musician plays what he/she hears. That cannot be a mistake.

If your dreams don’t scare you they’re not big enough!

My neighbors always listen to very hip Jazz… whether they like it or not.

One shouldn’t be in the habit of quoting oneself.

You know at an early age if you have a talent for music.

When I achieved what I thought the musicians were trying to do, the sound sort of bloomed. When it’s right, everything is beautiful.

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.

How are you going to know what’s new to play if you haven’t listened to everything that’s old?

My wife Martha used to call me Ol’ Lemon Face because of my facial contortions when I play Lucille. I squeeze my eyes and open my mouth, raise my eyebrows, cock my head and God knows what else. I look like I’m in torture, when in truth, I’m in ecstasy. I don’t do it for show. Every fiber of my being is tingling.

If you want to make beautiful music, you must play the black and the white notes together.

Get around, be on the scene, play it clean, be seen, be keen and be over eighteen.

In composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in 15 seconds, in improvisation you have 15 seconds.

It’s Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, you know. They got a musical mind together and uh, you can’t explain it.

My neighbors always listen to very hip Jazz… whether they like it or not.

I’m glad I don’t have perfect pitch because it can drive you crazy.

It seems like I always had to work harder than other people. Those nights when everybody else is asleep, and you sit in your room trying to play scales.

I’m always interested in looking forward toward the future. Carving out new ways of looking at things.

As far as playing jazz, no other art form, other than conversation, can give the satisfaction of spontaneous interaction.

If you’re making money people don’t think you’re playing Jazz. When you’re not making money they think you’re a great Jazz musician.