Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherfucker who plays it is 80 percent.
MILES DAVISI used to enjoy all the white bands when I was a kid listening to the radio. But the record companies, they take music and label it – like, they say “rock”. Because the white singers can’t sound like James Brown, they call him “soul”. They’ve been doing that for years. That’s the prejudice crap.
More Miles Davis Quotes
-
-
Drummers – sometimes they play and they listen. And that little listen takes a speck away from the right tempo.
MILES DAVIS -
In improvisation, there are no mistakes.
MILES DAVIS -
Jazz musicians are so comfortable. The reason they can’t do what we do is because they’re so comfortable doin’ what they do.
MILES DAVIS -
In other words, an instrument should be an extension of you; it’s supposed to sound like you – the way you walk, the way you dress, you know.
MILES DAVIS -
Music is a funny thing when you really come to think about it.
MILES DAVIS -
There are no wrong notes.
MILES DAVIS -
Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery.
MILES DAVIS -
If you understood everything I say, you’d be me!
MILES DAVIS -
You can’t play anything on a horn that Louis Armstrong hasn’t played.
MILES DAVIS -
In music, silence is more important than sound.
MILES DAVIS -
My ego only needs a good rhythm section.
MILES DAVIS -
If you’re going to drop behind, you have to keep it there.
MILES DAVIS -
Bebop didn’t have the humanity of Duke Ellington. It didn’t even have that recognizable thing. Bird and Diz were great, fantastic, challenging – but they weren’t sweet.
MILES DAVIS -
If I hear a song like “Time After Time.” I’m sittin’ there lookin’ at video and Cindy Lauper comes on singin’ this song. I said, “God damnnnnn!”
MILES DAVIS -
Always listen for what you can leave out.
MILES DAVIS