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Working with Monk is like falling down a dark elevator shaft.

John Coltrane

Whatever I’d say would be an understatement. I can only say my life was made much better by knowing him. He was one of the greatest people I’ve ever known, as a man, a friend, and a musician.
JOHN COLTRANE

Better Friendship Greatness Known Life Musician Myself
I think the majority of musicians are interested in truth.
JOHN COLTRANE

Interest Musician Thinking Truth
God breathes through us so completely, So gently we hardly feel it, yet it is our everything.
JOHN COLTRANE

Breathe Feeling Gentle God Ourselves
There are so many things to be considered in making music. The whole question of life itself… I know that I want to produce beautiful music, music that does things to people that they need.
JOHN COLTRANE

Beautiful Life Music Myself Need People Question
Sometimes I wish I could walk up to my music as if for the first time, as if I had never heard it before. Being so inescapably a part of it, I’ll never know what the listener gets, what the listener feels, and that’s too bad.
JOHN COLTRANE

Bad Escape Feeling Listening Music Myself Time Walk
The first time I heard Bird play, it hit me right between the eyes.
JOHN COLTRANE

Eyes Hear Music Myself Right
I want to be a force for real good. In other words, I know there are bad forces. You know, I know that there are forces out here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world, but I want to be the opposite force. I want to be the force which is truly for good.
JOHN COLTRANE

Bad Force Goodness Misery Reality Suffering True
My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being…When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups…I want to speak to their souls.
JOHN COLTRANE

Beginning Expression Goodness Knowledge Music People Possible Soul Spiritual Talk
All a musician can do is to get closer to the source.
JOHN COLTRANE

Close Musician Source
Invest yourself in everything you do. There’s fun in being serious.
JOHN COLTRANE

Fun Investment Serious
My music is the spiritual expression of what I am: my faith, my knowledge, my being.
JOHN COLTRANE

Existence Faith Knowledge Music Myself Spiritual
I’m into scales right now.
JOHN COLTRANE

Music Myself Right Scale
Jazz is a word they use to sell our music, but to me that word does not exist.
JOHN COLTRANE

Existence Music Ourselves Word
The real risk is not changing. I have to feel that I’m after something. If I make money, fine. But I’d rather be striving. It’s the striving, man, it’s that I want.
JOHN COLTRANE

Change Man Real Risk Strive
Damn the rules, it’s the feeling that counts.
JOHN COLTRANE

Count Feeling Inspirational Rule
My goal is to live the truly religious life, and express it in my music. If you live it, when you play there’s no problem because the music is part of the whole thing. To be a musician is really something. It goes very, very deep. My music is the spiritual expression of what I am – my faith, my knowledge, my being.
JOHN COLTRANE

Expression Goal Knowledge Life Live Music Myself Religious True

Working with Monk is like falling down a dark elevator shaft.

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Working with Monk is like falling down a dark elevator shaft.

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