black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

First you imitate, then you innovate.

Miles Davis

It took me twenty years study and practice to work up to what I wanted to play in this performance. How can she expect to listen five minutes and understand it?
MILES DAVIS

Expectation Herself Instrument Musician Performance Practice Time Understand
Some day I’m gonna call me up on the phone, so when I answer, I can tell myself to shut up.
MILES DAVIS

Answer Call Myself Phone
Keith, how does it feel to be a genius?
MILES DAVIS

Feeling Genius One Liner
I know what I’ve done for music, but don’t call me a legend. Just call me Miles Davis.
MILES DAVIS

Call Known Legend Music Myself
If you hit a wrong note, it’s the next note that you play that determines if it’s good or bad.
MILES DAVIS

Determination Note Play Wrong Yourself
If somebody told me I only had an hour to live, I’d spend it choking a white man. I’d do it nice and slow.
MILES DAVIS

Kill Live Man Myself Slow White
My father’s rich, my momma’s good looking. Right? And I can play the Blues. I’ve never suffered and don’t intend to suffer.
MILES DAVIS

Father Myself Play Suffering
First you imitate, then you innovate.
MILES DAVIS

Art Creation Imitation Innovation Yourself
I usually write from the rhythm section…If a drummer got a funky beat on some things – like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or a backbeat that’s even – I can write something.
MILES DAVIS

Myself Rhythm Writing
When the band plays fast, you play slow; when the band plays slow, you play fast.
MILES DAVIS

Play Slow Speed Yourself
Always listen for what you can leave out.
MILES DAVIS

Leave Listening Yourself
That was my gift having the ability to put certain guys together that would create a chemistry and then letting them go; letting them play what they knew, and above it.
MILES DAVIS

Ability Chemistry Known Play Togetherness
You can’t compete with Sweets’ sound and time feel. It’s impossible.
MILES DAVIS

Feeling Impossible Sound Time Yourself
At least one day out of the year all musicans should just put their instruments down, and give thanks to Duke Ellington.
MILES DAVIS

Instrument Musician Oneself Thankful
Drummers – sometimes they play and they listen. And that little listen takes a speck away from the right tempo.
MILES DAVIS

Away Listening Music Time
With “We Are The World,” I can’t even eat when I watch that on television. If I’m eatin’ some food, I have to put it down. I feel very strongly about that.
MILES DAVIS

Eat Feeling Myself Strong Watch World

First you imitate, then you innovate.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

First you imitate, then you innovate.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Miles Davis Quotes