“I believe that ‘time’ is always there. I don’t mean a particular pulse, but the time itself. It’s all there somehow like a huge sign that’s up there and it says time. It’s there and […]
Category: very occasional quote of the day
More Robert Henri: on technique
SOMEHOW CONNECTED: The way art and music is taught, most artists and musicians really have nothing to say. There are acres of anonymously competent junk like this in the museums in Rome, as there are millions of hours […]
Very occasional quote of the day: the abilities you have at the moment
Hey, that looks like I can do it. WHY NOT TRY IT? From The Art Spirit, by Robert Henri: An art student must be a master from the beginning; that is, he must be master […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Ndugu on talent
Another great quote from Ndugu Leon Chancler, from his 1983 Modern Drummer interview: “I think the most important thing is your attitude. There were, and still are, a lot of musicians who have more technique […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Ndugu on musicality
“I think a drummer’s success and notability are based on sensitivity as a musician—not as a drummer. I don’t even approach myself as a drummer. I’m an orchestrator. The drums are just the instrument I […]
Very occasional quote of the day: groove interference
“Coordination is a nice thing to have going, don’t get me wrong. But taken to extremes, you set up rhythmic interference instead of maintaining a groove. It’s not that you’re being too busy. It’s just […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Harvey Mason on listening and insecurity
“[D]o all the listening you can, to everyone who is on record, or live. Try to evaluate what really makes them function in the setting they’re in. Try to add it to your arsenal or […]
Very occasional quote of the day: cymbal selection for bop
Roy Haynes talks about what cymbal used to go with what soloist in the 1940s: “I just liked the sound of a cymbal with the sax. It was cool with a trumpet, too. Back in […]
Very occasional quote of the day: time in perspective
A good few lines about time from Robert Glasper, in an interview with Ethan Iverson: People worry about the metronome, “I’m not gonna move, I’m not gonna move!” because that means you are good. If […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Steve Gadd on reading
“Reading improves just from doing it. It wasn’t easy for me, but thanks to the encouragement of my teacher, John Beck, I stuck with it and it has been very useful. The more you do […]
Very occasional quote of the day: studying Zen
“Do not be too interested in Zen.” —Shunryu Suzuki, Zen scholar, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Very occasional quote of the day: classical in jazz
“[T]hese days I think there can actually be too much ‘classical’ sounding stuff in jazz. In a master class I heard Paul Bley warn about this. Bley thought it was better for young jazz musicians […]