I still love the whole history of jazz. The old things sound better than ever.

Quote by Steve Lacy

Topics: Steve Lacy Quotes

Risk is at the heart of jazz. Every note we play is a risk.

Risk is at the heart of jazz. Every note we play is a risk.

You have to sound sad first of all, then maybe later you can sound good.

You have to sound sad first of all, then maybe later you can sound good.

If you're trying to invent something new, you're going to reach a lot of discouraging...

If you're trying to invent something new, you're going to reach a lot of discouraging...

You must have the music to justify an instrument's extensive use.

You must have the music to justify an instrument's extensive use.

They call me before they go into production, when they have a prototype, and they...

They call me before they go into production, when they have a prototype, and they...

The soprano turned out to sound to me like the right hand on the piano.

The soprano turned out to sound to me like the right hand on the piano.

I've been working on the soprano saxophone for 40 years, and the possibilities are astounding....

I've been working on the soprano saxophone for 40 years, and the possibilities are astounding....

I heard Sidney Bechet play a Duke Ellington piece and fell in love with the...

I heard Sidney Bechet play a Duke Ellington piece and fell in love with the...

The soprano has all those other instruments in it. It's got the soprano song voice,...

The soprano has all those other instruments in it. It's got the soprano song voice,...

I think it is in collaboration that the nature of art is revealed.

I think it is in collaboration that the nature of art is revealed.

You can work on the saxophone alone, but ultimately you must perform with others.

You can work on the saxophone alone, but ultimately you must perform with others.

When I heard Monk in person in 1955, he was playing with a quartet in...

When I heard Monk in person in 1955, he was playing with a quartet in...

I wanted to be a pianist but it just wasn't my thing. I guess I...

I wanted to be a pianist but it just wasn't my thing. I guess I...

There is an awful lot of what I call recreational jazz going on, where people...

There is an awful lot of what I call recreational jazz going on, where people...

The saxophone is a very interesting machine, but I'm more interested in music.

The saxophone is a very interesting machine, but I'm more interested in music.

Some people really want to play Mozart and be just performers. I was more interested...

Some people really want to play Mozart and be just performers. I was more interested...

We played for peanuts. But we did what we wanted to do, we heard what...

We played for peanuts. But we did what we wanted to do, we heard what...

When I came up, it was all about originality and collective research. There is an...

When I came up, it was all about originality and collective research. There is an...

If you have music you want to play that no one asks you to play,...

If you have music you want to play that no one asks you to play,...

To me, there is spirit in a reed. It's a living thing, a weed, really,...

To me, there is spirit in a reed. It's a living thing, a weed, really,...