I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.
Count BasieRead
I'm saying: to be continued, until we meet again. Meanwhile, keep on listening and tapping your feet.
Interpretation
The quote encourages an ongoing engagement with life and music, implying that every moment is part of a larger journey.
Count Basie's quote expresses the idea of continuity and the anticipation of reunions in life and art. It highlights the importance of living in the moment while also looking forward to future experiences, all while enjoying the beauty of music along the way.
In practice
This quote can be shared at a memorial service to celebrate the beauty of life.
I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.
All I wanted was to be big, to be in show business and to travel ... and that's what I've been doing all my life.
If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!
I'll always remember when I first heard Lester [Young]. I'd never heard anyone like him before. He was a stylist with a different sound. A sound I'd never heard before or since. To be honest with you, I didn't much like it at first.
I never thought innovation as such was very important. Not when you have to think about it... If you're going to come up with a new direction or a really new way to do something, you'll do it by just playing your stuff and letting it ride. The real innovators did their innovating by just being themselves.
Of course, there are a lot of ways you can treat the blues, but it will still be the blues.
I think my biggest musical hero growing up was probably Ian MacKaye. He set a great example for all of us local musicians. Still, to this day, I see him as the best example of a right-on musician.
First of all, I swore it was two people playing. When I finally admitted to myself that was one man, I gave up the piano for a month. I figured it was hopeless to practice.
The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man, for more years than I know. I got it from them.
The way I feel today, as long as my health is good and I can handle myself well and people still come to my concerts, still buy my CDs, I'll keep playing until I feel like I can't.
Rap has been a path between cultures in the best tradition of popular music.
I used to think that, given enough goodwill, anybody would be able to 'get' any music, no matter how distant the culture from which it came. And then I heard Chinese opera.
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