“I will never again play anything that does not have social significance. We American jazz musicians of African descent have proved beyond all doubt that we are master musicians of our instruments. Now what we have to do is employ our skill to tell the dramatic story of our people and what we've been through.” PeopleDoePlayStoriesSocialMusicDoubtMastersSkillsMusicianInstrumentsJazzAfrican AmericanDramaticSignificanceJazz MusicDescentJazz MusicianAfrican Music Author:Max Roach
“The Spirit never makes men the instruments of converting others until they feel that they cannot do it themselves; that their skill in argument, in persuasion, in management, avails nothing.” MenFeelsSpiritSkillsArgumentManagementInstrumentsPersuasionConverting Author:Charles Hodge
“Oh God! Like the thunderbird of old I shall rise again out of the sea; I shall grab the instruments of the white man’s success - his education, his skills, and with these new tools I shall build my race into the proudest segment of your society.” MenWhiteRaceSeaSkillsToolsInstrumentsWhite Man Author:Chief Dan George
“The greatest successes grow out of great failures. In numerous instances the result is better that comes after a series of abortive experiences than it would have been if it had come at once; for all these successive failures induce a skill which is so much additional power working into the final achievement.... The hand that evokes such perfect music from the instrument has often failed in its touch, and bungled among the keys.... Every disappointed effort fences in and indicates the only possible path of success, and makes it easier to find.” IfsHas BeensHandsGrowsPerfectResultsEffortPathKeysEasierSkillsAchievementInstrumentsSeriesFinalsInstanceDisappointedFenceEvokeGreatest Success Author:Edwin Hubbel Chapin
“Archery, fencing, spear fighting, all of the martial arts, tea ceremony, flower arranging...in all of these, correct breathing, correct balance, and correct stillness help to remake the individual. The basic aim is always the same: by tirelessly practicing a given skill, the student finally sheds the ego with its fears, worldly ambitions, and reliance on objective scrutiny - sheds it so completely that he becomes the instrument of a deeper power, from which mastery falls instinctively, without further effort on his part, like a ripe fruit.” ArtHelpingFallFightingIndividualGivenEffortStudentsFlowerBalanceSkillsEgoAmbitionAimInstrumentsFruitDeeperObjectivesTeaBreathingMartial ArtsStillnessMasteryShedWorldlyCeremonyRelianceRipeScrutinyRemakesSpearsArrangingArcheryFencingRipe FruitTea Ceremony Author:Karlfried Graf Durckheim
“Louis Armstrong was the primary contributor to jazz music in the 20th century. His improvisational skills served as the principal model for all who came after him, regardless of one's chosen instrument.” CenturySkillsModelsInstrumentsJazzChosenPrimariesPrincipal20th CenturyJazz MusicArmstrongContributors Author:Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
“I no longer sought skill, flexibility, strength, endurance, muscle tone, and quick responsiveness as means of imposing my will on the instrument, but rather of keeping an open and unrestricted pathway for the creative impulse to play its music straight from the preconscious depths beneath and beyond me.” MeanPlayCreativeSkillsInstrumentsDepthImpulseToneMusclesEnduranceFlexibilityPathwaysImposingResponsiveness Author:Stephen Nachmanovitch
“I have a variety of ways that I make music, but I'm working with the Thingamajigs in a particular way, which is: They are bringing to me their performance skills and their unusual instruments, which I'm relishing. They're really beautiful. The other thing is improvisation - these players improvise and they do it very beautifully, as a matter of fact.” WayMatterFactsBeautifulPlayerParticularSkillsPerformancesInstrumentsVarietyUnusualImprovisationMatter Of FactVery BeautifulReally Beautiful Author:Pauline Oliveros
“'Dog Days' was recorded with pens and the wall, and half a stolen drum kit that was out of tune, in what was basically a cupboard. The only instrument I could really play was my voice, so we just layered everything a hundred times. It was enthusiasm over skill.” PlayVoiceHalfDogWallSkillsHundredInstrumentsEnthusiasmTunesPensStolenCupboardsDog Days Author:Florence Welch