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Quote by Bessie Smith

“There's nineteen men livin' in my neighborhood, Eighteen of them are fools and the one ain't no doggone good.”

Author

Bessie Smith, known as the 'Empress of the Blues', was a pioneering jazz and blues singer from the United States. Born on April 15, 1894, and passing away on September 26, 1937, Smith's deep, soulful voice and distinctive performance style left a lasting impact on future musicians. She was one of the most famous black female singers of her time, with her music career spanning the 1920s and 1930s. more

“I would like to bring to people something like happiness. I would like to discover a method so that if I want it to rain, it will start right away to rain. If one of my friends is ill, I'd like to play a certain song and he will be cured; when he'd be broke, I'd bring out a different song and immediately he'd receive all the money he needed.”

People Ifs Want Different Play Certain Song Needed My Friends Rain Method Ill Broke

Author:John Coltrane

“Over all, I think the main thing a musician would like to do is give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things that he knows of and senses in the universe. . . Thats what I would like to do. I think thats one of the greatest things you can do in life and we all try to do it in some way. The musicians is through his music.”

Thinking Knows Way Giving Trying Universe Can Do Wonderful Musician Jazz Senses Listeners Wonderful Things

Author:John Coltrane

“Working with Monk is like falling down a dark elevator shaft.”

Fall Dark Jazz Monk Falling Down Elevators

Author:John Coltrane

“Working with Monk brought me close to a musical architect of the highest order. I felt I learned from him in every way--through the senses, theoretically, technically. I would talk to Monk about musical problems, and he would sit at the piano and show me the answers just by playing them. I could watch him play and find out the things I wanted to know. Also, I could see a lot of things that I didn't know about at all.”