“The common root, of course, comes out of Africa. That's the pulse.The African pulse. It's all the way back from . . . the old slave chants and up through the blues, the jazz, and up through rock. And it's all got the African pulse.” WayCoursesCommonRocksRootsJazzSlavePulse Author:Duke Ellington
“Put it this way: Jazz is a good barometer of freedom... In its beginnings, the United States of America spawned certain ideals of freedom and independence through which, eventually, jazz was evolved, and the music is so free that many people say it is the only unhampered, unhindered expression of complete freedom yet produced in this country.” PeopleWayCountryStatesAmericaCertainUnitedMusicUnited StatesExpressionMusic IsIdealsIndependenceJazzUnited States Of AmericaBarometerComplete Freedom Author:Duke Ellington
“In music, as you develop a theme or musical idea, there are many points at which directions must be decided, and at any time I was in the throes of debate with myself, harmonically or melodically, I would turn to Billy Strayhorn. We would talk, and then the whole world would come into focus. The steady hand of his good judgment pointed to the clear way that was fitting for us. He was not, as he was often referred to by many, my alter ego. Billy Strayhorn was my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brainwaves in his head, and his in mine.” WorldWayIdeasWholeHandsEyeTurnsLeftClearFocusMinesArmsEgoJudgmentDecidedMusicalDebateWhole WorldThemeSteadyFittingGood JudgmentAlter EgoSteady Hands Book:Music is my mistress Source: Music is my mistress
