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

John Coltrane

Any time you play your horn, it helps you. If you get down, you can help yourself even in a rock ‘n’ roll band.
JOHN COLTRANE

Help Horn Play Time Yourself
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
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
I never even thought about whether or not they understand what I’m doing, the emotional reaction is all that matters as long as there’s some feeling of communication, it isn’t necessary that it be understood.
JOHN COLTRANE

Communication Emotional Feeling Necessary Reaction Thinking Understand
The reason I play so many sounds, maybe it sounds angry, is because I’m trying so many things at one time, you see? I haven’t sorted them out. I have a whole bag of things that I’m trying to work through and get the one essential.
JOHN COLTRANE

Essential Myself Play Reason Sound Time Work
I think the majority of musicians are interested in truth.
JOHN COLTRANE

Interest Musician Thinking Truth
I think I was first awakened to musical exploration by Dizzy Gillespie and Bird. It was through their work that I began to learn about musical structures and the more theoretical aspects of music.
JOHN COLTRANE

Aspect Awake Learning Music Myself Thinking
I’d like to point out to people the divine in a musical language that transcends words. I want to speak to their souls.
JOHN COLTRANE

Divine Language Musical Myself People Point Soul Talk
Starting in the middle of a musical sentence and moving in both directions at once.
JOHN COLTRANE

Direction Move Music Start
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’m into scales right now.
JOHN COLTRANE

Music Myself Right Scale
I believe that men are here to grow themselves into the best good that they can be – at least, this is what I want to do.
JOHN COLTRANE

Believe Goodness Growth Man Myself
Sometimes I wish I could walk up to my music for the first time, as if I had never heard it before.
JOHN COLTRANE

Music Myself Time Walk
All a musician can do is to get closer to the sources of nature, and so feel that he is in communion with the natural laws.
JOHN COLTRANE

Law Music Nature Source
One positive thought produces millions of positive vibrations.
JOHN COLTRANE

Oneself Positive Thinking Vibration
You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.
JOHN COLTRANE

Inspirational Music Passion Sincere Yourself

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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