“Any musician who says he is playing better either on tea, the needle, or when he is juiced, is a plain, straight liar. When I get too much to drink, I can't even finger well, let alone play decent ideas. You can miss the most important years of your life, the years of possible creation.” YearsWellsI CanImportantIdeasPlayToo MuchMissingCreationDrinkMusicianFingersTeaDecentLiarsNeedles Author:Charlie Parker
“It's just music. It's trying to play clean and looking for the pretty notes. The beat in a bop band is with the music, against it, behind it. It pushes it. It helps it. Help is the big thing. It has no continuity of beat, no steady chug-chug. Jazz has, and that's why bop is more flexible.” TryingPlayHelpingBigsBehindsBandBeatsCleanJazzNotesSteadyBig ThingsFlexibleContinuityBops Author:Charlie Parker
“Don't play the saxophone. Let it play you.” PlayMotivationalMusicMusicianHumorousJazzAfrican AmericanComposerJazz MusicPlaying MusicSaxophoneFunny MusicPlaying Jazz Author:Charlie Parker
“I realized by using the high notes of the chords as a melodic line, and by the right harmonic progression, I could play what I heard inside me. That's when I was born.” PlayBornLinesHeardNotesI RealizedChordsProgressionHigh Notes Author:Charlie Parker
“Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play.” PlayForgetMusicMastersInstrumentsJazzBullshitJazz MusicPlaying MusicJazz MusicianPlaying JazzJazz And Life Author:Charlie Parker
“Once I could play what I heard inside me, that's when I was born.” PlayBornMusicHeardJazzChordsHigh Notes Author:Charlie Parker
“I kept thinking there's bound to be something else? I could hear it sometimes, but I couldn't play it.” ThinkingSometimesPlayMusicJazzBounds Author:Charlie Parker
“I'd been getting bored with the stereotyped changes (harmonies) that were being used all the time. I found that by using the higher intervals of a chord as a melody line and backing them with appropriately related changes I could play the thing I'd been hearing. I came alive.” PlayUsedFoundLinesAliveHigherHarmonyJazzHearingBoredRelatedMelodyChordsIntervals Author:Charlie Parker
