“I hired you because of who you are & what you do, so DO it. I’m having a hard enough time playing my instrument, so you figure out how to play your own.”
— Reggie Workman, quoting John Coltrane
Key line from jazz writer Richard Scheinin’s interview with Workman.
Follow Scheinin on Twitter.
I love that quote. I only wish there were more band leaders like that who don't try to micro-manage how you deal with their music.
Hire the right guys and fire them when you don't like what they contribute.
But DON'T tell them how to play.
They work at playing their instrument for years to even sound adequate at least.
You don't try to change them, just as you shouldn't try to change your wife/man/whatever.
Absolutely– get the right people and let them play– let them do their thing.