If You Don't Live It, It Won't

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.

Any Musician Who Says He Is Playing Better Either On Tea, The Needle, Or When He Is Juiced, Is A Plain, Straight Liar. When I Get Too Much To Drink, I Can't Even Finger Well, Let Alone Play Decent Ideas. You Can Miss The Most Important Years Of Your Life, The Years Of Possible Creation.

I Can Play All I Know In Eight Bars.

It's Just Music. It's Trying To Play Clean And Looking For The Pretty Notes. The Beat In A Bop Band Is With The Music, Against It, Behind It. It Pushes It. It Helps It. Help Is The Big Thing. It Has No Continuity Of Beat, No Steady Chug-chug. Jazz Has, And That's Why Bop Is More Flexible.

Music Is Your Own Experience, Your Own Thoughts, Your Wisdom.