Benny Goodman Quotes

I think my first impression (of Bix Beiderbecke) was the lasting one. I remember very clearly thinking, ‘Where, what planet, did this guy come from? Is he from outer space?’

After you’ve done all the work and prepared as much as you can, what the hell, you might as well go out and have a good time.

One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ‘em. The obstacles are all there; there are a million of ‘em.

Some of the guys I played with .. didn’t go around learning more about their instruments from an intellectual point of view. All they wanted was to play hot jazz, and the instrument was just a means.

I’d imagine that a lot of them criticized me-said my technique was too good. Something like that. But I’ve always wanted to know what made music. How you do it, and why it sounds good. I always practiced, worked like hell.

As soon as it was understood that we could handle things in our own way, it was the thrill of my life to walk out on that stage with people just hemming the band in.

If a guy’s got it, let him give it. I’m selling music, not prejudice.

Creativity grows out of two things: curiosity & imagination.

There was a lot of playing going on, and the New Yorkers, of course, were a completely different crowd from what I’d known.

If you want to do something, you do it anyway, and handle the obstacles as they come.