black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Everyone prays in their own language, and there is no language that God does not understand.

Duke Ellington

The Europeans who went to Africa came back with “modern’ art. What is more African than a Picasso?
DUKE ELLINGTON

Art Creativity Modern
Jazz today, as always in the past, is a matter of thoughtful creation, not mere unaided instinct.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Creation Instinct Past Thinking
Simplicity is a most complex form.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Complex Form Simplicity
New York is a place where the rich walk, the poor drive Cadillacs, and beggars die of malnutrition with thousands of dollars hidden in their mattresses.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Death Hide Place Walk
The wise musicians are those who play what they can master.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Knowledge Master Musician
Music is the tonal reflection of beauty.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Beautiful Music Reflection
Music, of course, is what I hear and something that I more or less live by. It’s not an occupation or profession, it’s a compulsion.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Live Music Myself Occupation Profession
There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Goodness Kind Music
I never had much interest in the piano until I realized that every time I played, a girl would appear on the piano bench to my left and another to my right.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Appearance Interest Myself Realize Right
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?
DUKE ELLINGTON

Interest Music Problem Yourself
I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Blue Energy Myself Writing
I fluffed off the guy who kept requesting tunes all night, then found out he was the King’s son.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Finding Himself Man Request
There is no art when one does something without intention.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Art Intention
The artist must say it without saying it.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Artist Language
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind the only yardstick by which the result should be judged is simply that of how it sounds. If it sounds good it’s successful; if it doesn’t it has failed.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Failure Kind Music Result Success
A goal is a dream with a finish line.
DUKE ELLINGTON

Dreams Finish Goal

Everyone prays in their own language, and there is no language that God does not understand.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Everyone prays in their own language, and there is no language that God does not understand.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Duke Ellington Quotes