Always look ahead, but never look back.
At least one day out of the year all musicans should just put their instruments down, and give thanks to Duke Ellington.
I used to enjoy all the white bands when I was a kid listening to the radio. But the record companies, they take music and label it – like, they say “rock”. Because the white singers can’t sound like James Brown, they call him “soul”. They’ve been doing that for years. That’s the prejudice crap.
I know what I’ve done for music, but don’t call me a legend. Just call me Miles Davis.
I don’t like to hear someone put down dixieland. Those people who say there’s no music but bop are just stupid; it shows how much they don’t know.
You can’t eat a winner’s plaque.
The only reason to write a new song is because you’re tired of the old ones.
A painting is music you can see and music is a painting you can hear.
Look, man, all I am is a trumpet player.
I’m not messing around with nobody’s woman. If I want a woman I go get her – you know what I mean?
You should never be comfortable, man. Being comfortable fouled up a lot of musicians.
It’s not the notes you play, it’s the notes you don’t play.
The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.
Jazz is like blues with a shot of heroin!
If you don’t know what to play, play nothing.
There are no wrong notes in jazz: only notes in the wrong places.
All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal.
Music is the framework around the silence.
I don’t care if a dude is purple with green breath as long as he can swing.
Joao Gilberto on guitar could read a newspaper and sound good.