Dexter Gordon Quotes

When you know the lyrics to a tune, you have some kind of insight as to it’s composition. If you don’t understand what it’s about, you’re depriving yourself of being really able to communicate this poem.

What I’m doing, I prefer to call that jazz, because it is a beautiful word – I love it.

To have a little recognition, that is very nice, you dig. It is good for the ego, for the psyche.

Music is a reservoir… of sounds.

 

Jazz to me is a living music. It’s a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people.

It’s certainly not just a spot opinion; it’s something that obviously has been building up for years. It is also very good for publicity, and it is the kind of recognition that maybe will help financially, also.

In nuclear war all men are cremated equal.

In jazz, there is a lot of European influence harmonically.

If you can’t play the blues… you might as well hang it up.

If I were to call it black music, that would be untrue. I don’t know what that is, unless it would be some African drums or something.

Darlin… be-bop is the music of the future.

A lot of times I go back to record and to make a tour, but I’m very happy to do it, because it gives me an opportunity to dig and hear what’s going on.