Jelly Roll Morton

It is evidently known, beyond contradiction, that New Orleans is the cradle of Jazz and I, myself, happened to be the creator in the year 1902.

A great symphony is a man-made Mississippi down which we irresistibly flow from the instant of our leave-taking to a long forseen destination.

If you want to make money in music, get into the band uniform business.

It’s easy in music to tell what’s good. It’s hard to tell what’s bad.

Jazz is an art that makes a person completely naked.

We might as well swing boys, because Stravinsky cuts us all.

Its all about finding the right note at the right place and knowing when to leave it alone.

Sometimes it’s to your advantage for people to think you’re crazy.

[on Django Reinhardt] By far the most astonishing guitar player ever … Django was quite superhuman, there’s nothing normal about him as a person or a player

With songwriting I spend a lot of time living life, accruing all these experiences, journaling, and then by the time I get to the studio I’m teeming with the drive to write.

I really feel like I made it a great record. I really feel good about it. In this day and age to make a record that you say, ‘This is different,’ that’s a tough nut. I did it by accident but it got done. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I know how to do it.

The audience, they’re not professionals. They just love music. It isn’t necessary to play over their heads to be admired.

The way I look at it, they’re all part of my musical diary, and I can listen to any one of them and it will bring up memories of what was going on at that time.

I first fell in love with the piano, I knew it was me. I was dying to play.

Music is a gift and a burden I’ve had since I can remember who I was.

Jazz is an idea that is more powerful than the details of its history.