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 COLTRANEMy 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.
More John Coltrane Quotes
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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.
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One positive thought produces millions of positive vibrations.
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I’ve always felt that even though a man was not a Christian, he still has to know the truth some way or another. Or if he was a Christian, he could know the truth. The truth itself doesn’t have any name on it to me. And each man has to find this for himself, I think.
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I’d like to point out to people the divine in a musical language that transcends words. I want to speak to their souls.
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There is never any end, There are always new sounds to imagine; new feelings to get at. And always, there is the need to keep purifying these feelings and sounds so that we can really see what we’ve discovered in its pure state.
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Don’t ever get so big or important that you can not hear and listen to every other person.
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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.
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Damn the rules, it’s the feeling that counts.
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I think I know what it is but don’t ask me to play it.
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You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.
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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.
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Working with Monk is like falling down a dark elevator shaft.
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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.
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Change is inevitable in music – things change.
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God breathes through us so completely, So gently we hardly feel it, yet it is our everything.
JOHN COLTRANE