John Lewis

Count don’t do nothin’. But it sure sounds good.

There’s so much music out there and so many possibilities. I like anyone who plays any instrument.

I never really thought about becoming a professional musician.

It was when I found out I could make mistakes that I knew I was on to something.

I wanted to put jazz on the record, all the loves of music that I had on the record, so I could show people I was ahead of my 19 years. It may have been over the heads of some people.

Especially, I want my work-and the trios if possible-to sing.

I want to create music that’s therapeutic.

I was a nerd academically. But I was also an athlete and a musician. I never wanted to be shut out of any situation. I think it was that more than anything.

Something just grabs you about a song.

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

People like the idea of the trio and so I did mostly trio.

I like chords that are very lush with all the lush parts taken out.

Musicians need enough experience to develop a vocabulary.

I’m on some singer’s record date for a demo and I get a note to call Miles Davis. Of course, I didn’t believe it, but I wasn’t going to take a chance by not calling, and it was Miles. He said, ‘I’ve got a session in an hour over at Columbia, can you make it’

Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.