I like any and all of my associations with music: writing, playing, and listening. We write and play from our perspective, and the audience listens from its perspective. If and when we agree, I am lucky.
DUKE ELLINGTONYet, every time God’s children have thrown away fear in pursuit of honesty-trying to communicate themselves, understood or not, miracles have happened.
More Duke Ellington Quotes
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Somehow I suspect that if Shakespeare were alive today, he might be a jazz fan himself.
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People do not retire. They are retired by others.
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A Satin Doll is a woman who is as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside.
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Billy Strayhorn was my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brainwaves in his head, and his in mine.
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Be a number one yourself. And not a number two somebody else.
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Sing sweet, but put a little dirt in it.
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Fate is being kind to me. Fate doesn’t want me to be too famous too young.
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If you have a great band with a mediocre drummer, you have a mediocre band. If you have a mediocre band with a great drummer, you have a great band!
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It’s like an act of murder – you play with intent to commit something.
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Without a deadline, baby, I wouldn’t do nothing.
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My biggest kick in music -playing or writing- is when I have a problem. Without a problem to solve, how much interest do you take in anything?
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Tomorrow is in the wings waiting for you to sound her entrance fanfare.
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Problems are chances for us to do our best.
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There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind.
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Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited.
DUKE ELLINGTON