Dr Lonnie Smith

Mozart in his music was probably the most reasonable of the world’s great composers. It is the happy balance between flight and control, between sensibility and self-discipline, simplicity and sophistication of style that is his particular province… Mozart tapped once again the source from which all music flows, expressing himself with a spontaneity and refinement and breath-taking rightness that has never since been duplicated.

Music gave me the energy to revise, revive myself; renew, rebirth myself. It was a palliative, a relief.

What I came back to is that jazz is a music to be played and not to be intellectualized on.

I realized by using the high notes of the chords as a melodic line, and by the right harmonic progression, I could play what I heard inside me. That’s when I was born.

Jazz has evolved with an inner necessity characteristic of any true art form.

There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind.

Your own music comes out of your head and emotions, but it’s not etched in your system.

I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great.

Do not fear mistakes, there are none.

There is no truer truth obtainable by man than comes of music.

We never play anything the same way once.

How do you explain what it feels like to get on the stage and make poetry that you know sinks into the hearts and souls of people who are unable to express it.

I may be helping to bring harmony between people through my music.

Three months. I was playing the organ for three months. It was a challenge for me in the beginning.

Music should strike fire from the heart of man and bring tears to the eyes of woman.