“I used to play every night. It didn’t matter how much money I was making, I just had to play every night. When we’d get through playing at night, it was daybreak: 6:00. Then we’d play the breakfast show. After that we’d have a jam session which would go on until like 2:00 in the afternoon. So maybe by 3:00 I’d get to bed, and be back in the club again at 8:30. So I never stopped, really. I was playing all the time so I didn’t have to worry about practicing.”
— Art Blakey, Modern Drummer, September, 1984
Interview by Chip Stern
The Blakey quote I often use which is allied to this is 'if you ain't appearing, you're disappearing'. An inspiring man and player.