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Quote by Don Alias

“I grew up learning this stuff on the streets of New York. My brother and I used to play in the subway for money.”

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Don Alias, born on December 25, 1939, and passed away on March 29, 2006, was a mysterious artist whose career and personal life remain enigmatic. His artistic achievements and reputation have had a significant impact in the art world. more

“I grew up in New York. We were all diversified, as far as music was concerned. I grew up liking just about everything. So I tried to incorporate that into my playing, although the original school where I came from was Afro-Cuban music. But I liked all kinds of music -- I tried to bring that into everything.”

Kind School New York Grew Grew Up Concerned Originals All Kinds Cuban Afros Cuban Music

Author:Don Alias

“Then, on my way to California, I decided to stop in New York to do some research. I couldn't leave, because that's where the music was!”

Way New York Research Decided My Way California

Author:Don Alias

“We're talking about an extremely prolific poet and songwriter and lyricist. That stuff comes off the top of her head. She [Joni Mitchell] will write exactly what she lives. If she puts some money in the soda machine, she'll write about putting money in the soda machine. "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines," on the Shadows & Light album, was about sitting next to a dry cleaner from Des Moines, playing a slot machine.”

Ifs Writing Light Poetry Next Stuff Talking Poet Sitting Shadow Machines Albums Dry Songwriters Cleaners Soda Slot Machines Lyricists Des Moines Dry Cleaners

Author:Don Alias

“She [Joni Mitchell] wanted to have that (jazz) element in her music. Of course, when she heard Jaco's [Jaco Pastorius'] music and met him, that floored her -- really grabbed her. She decided that Wayne Shorter was really conducive to her music. She would speak metaphorically about things. "I want this to sound like a taxicab driver, or a taxi in New York," or "I want this to sound like a telephone ringing." She would speak to musicians like that, and we really tuned into what she would want our music to be.”

Want Wanted Courses Speak Sound Heard New York Mets Elements Musician Decided Jazz Drivers Telephones Taxi Wayne

Author:Don Alias

“My reading was good enough to play big-band charts, but I ran into trouble with Claude (Thornhill)'s theme song "Snowfall," which had a repeating bass line in D-flat that was very difficult for me to finger using my self-taught technique. I spent one morning figuring out an alternate fingering, and that started me on the way to learning a better use of the fingerboard.”

Way Self Enough Play Use Bigs Song Reading Difficult Lines Morning Trouble Taught Band Fingers Technique Ran Theme Flats Good Enough Bass Self Taught Snowfall Fingerboard

Author:Bill Crow

“I was raised in the Baptist church... but I didn't really have a real committed experience with Christ until my father died.”

Real Father Christ Church Died Raised Committed Baptists Father Died My Father Died

Author:T. D. Jakes

“I found a guy in the Bronx who had an old plywood Kay bass that he wanted $75 for. He held it for me, and I gave him a few dollars every time I could scrape some extra money together. Meanwhile I borrowed or rented basses for jam sessions and paying jobs. It was a great thrill when I finally took possession of my Kay.”

Wanted Together Jobs Guy Found Dollars Possession Extras Thrill Session Bass Jam Borrowed Bronx

Author:Bill Crow

“My school music teacher, Al Bennest, introduced me to jazz by playing Louis Armstrong's record of "West End Blues" for me. I found more jazz on the radio, and began looking for records. My paper route money, and later, money I earned working after school in a print shop and a butcher shop went toward buying jazz records. I taught myself the alto saxophone and the drums in order to play in my high school dance band.”

“I recorded with Hank (Jones) a number of times, usually on dates where Milt was unavailable, and I thought he was the perfect pianist. He had a beautiful touch, knew all the best ways around the chord changes, and swung mightily. And he brought an air of cheerful competence to every date, making us all feel that it would be possible to make some very good music that day.”

Way Feels Would Be Beautiful Perfect Numbers Air Very Good Best Way Piano Cheerful Chords Competence Pianist All The Best

Author:Bill Crow

“Roger (Kellaway) amazed us all. Blessed with great technique, he could play any style, from ragtime to space music. Whatever style he chose to play at the moment would be filled with wonderful surprises that kept the rest of us continually delighted.”

Play Moments Would Be Space Wonderful Style Blessed Filled Surprise Technique Amazed Delighted Roger Ragtime

Author:Bill Crow

Quote by Don Alias

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