Willie Nelson

You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.

Sometimes when you start losing detail, whether it’s in music or in life, something as small as failing to be polite, you start to lose substance.

An orchestra can become as familiar and reliable an instrument as a well-known, well-worn piano.

If I could sell 500 million records every time, it would be great. But I’ve also had the luxury experience of having it when I was a teenager, in a very kind of model version of it.

You blows who you is.

Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny.

Inspiration may be a form of superconsciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness – I wouldn’t know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self- consciousness.

Many people forget that Jazz, no matter what form it takes, must come from the heart as well as the mind.

Women bring something different to an instrument if they are respectful of their feminine aesthetic.

I look for a deep, gutty feelin’ in a guitar tone. I don’t use picks. People ask, “How you get that?” It’s just there. There’s a lot of people try to play real fast chords-da da da da da-that ain’t the hard, solid blues. It’s synthetic. It has not feeling to it. You sit down and play some funky, funky guitar. Take your time! Don’t rush it. Just let it come flowing through you. I can play guitar so funky, it’ll bring teardrops to your eyes.

If you must listen to bad music, please use headphones.

The wise musicians are those who play what they can master.

Jazz is there and gone. It happens. You have to be present for it. That simple.

I try to practice with my life.

It’s difficult for me to dislike an artist, no matter what he’s creating.