Herbie Hancock

When I was coming up, I practiced all the time because I thought if I didn’t I couldn’t do my best.

Being a musician is what I do, but it’s not what I am.

Jazz has borrowed from other genres of music and also has lent itself to other genres of music.

You can practice to learn technique, but I’m more interested in conceiving something in the moment.

I’m always looking to create new avenues or new visions of music.

Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.

Once we’re inside a tune, we can do anything with it.

You only go around once and this ain’t no rehearsal.

Love songs last because they are about feelings that don’t change.

Just to keep it interesting I’ll tune the guitar randomly, so I don’t know what’s going to come out.

The jazziest American contribution to the vocabulary of English is Jazz itself.

I don’t like to look back because the whole point in Jazz is doing it now.

I didn’t know the right names for anything at first, but I knew what knocked me out. Changes… man I dug.

It’s always been a gift with me, hearing music the way I do. I don’t know where it comes from, it’s just there and I don’t question it.

Music is what I hear and something that I live by.

They’re singing your praises while stealing your phrases.

Jazz Improvisation means that practice is not as straightforward as it would be when you simply have a score to play.

My chops were not as fast… [but] I just learned more on what was in my mind than what was in my chops. I learned a long time ago that one note can go a long way if it’s the right one, and it will probably whip the guy with twenty notes.

I’ve always had a deep love of live performance, it’s when I feel most alive.

I adore extravagance but I abhor waste.

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