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The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.

Duke Ellington

A Satin Doll is a woman who is as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Doll Herself Pretty Woman
Somehow I suspect that if Shakespeare were alive today, he might be a jazz fan himself.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Alive Fans Himself Suspect
A goal is a dream with a finish line.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Dreams Finish Goal
What does music mean to you? What would you do without music?
DUKE ELLINGTON

Important Meaning Music Yourself
Selfishness can be a virtue. Selfishness is essential to survival, and without survival we cannot protect those whom we love more than ourselves.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Ourselves Selfish Survive Virtue
If it sounds good and feels good, then it IS good!
DUKE ELLINGTON

Feeling Music Sound
Sing sweet, but put a little dirt in it.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Music Sing Song Sweet
Playing ‘bop’ is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Missing Play
By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn’t want your daughter to associate with.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Association Kind Man Yourself
Everyone prays in their own language, and there is no language that God does not understand.
DUKE ELLINGTON

God Language Prayer Understand
Problems are chances for us to do our best.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Best Chance Ourselves Problem
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Meaning Yourself
Critics have their purposes, and they’re supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Carry Criticism Focus Purpose Thinking
I’m sure critics have their purpose, and they’re supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what he did.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Concern Criticism Himself Purpose Thinking
The problem of expressing the contributions that Benny Carter has made to popular music is so tremendous it completely fazes me, so extraordinary a musician is he.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Contribution Expression Music Myself Problem
Simplicity is a most complex form.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Complex Form Simplicity

The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.

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The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.

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