What I learned with Cecil Taylor was strategy and survival and how to resist temptations and resist getting discouraged.

Quote by Steve Lacy

Topics: Steve Lacy Quotes

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...

I was spoiled by Monk's music because it was so good, so complete.

I was spoiled by Monk's music because it was so good, so complete.

When I first started playing music in 1955, there was just a small body of...

When I first started playing music in 1955, there was just a small body of...

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...

If you listen to Louis Armstrong from 1929, you will never hear anything better than...

If you listen to Louis Armstrong from 1929, you will never hear anything better than...

It's very important to go through periods where you sound just rotten and you know...

It's very important to go through periods where you sound just rotten and you know...

Circumstances can be very important. Find the right people to work with.

Circumstances can be very important. Find the right people to work with.

Play difficult and interesting things. If you play boring things, you risk losing your appetite....

Play difficult and interesting things. If you play boring things, you risk losing your appetite....

Whoever has an original thing to say, it is sort of a threat to the...

Whoever has an original thing to say, it is sort of a threat to the...

People don't want to suffer. They want to sound good immediately, and this is one...

People don't want to suffer. They want to sound good immediately, and this is one...

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,...

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...

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,...

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.

Nobody was playing the soprano saxophone and certainly nobody was trying to do anything with...

Nobody was playing the soprano saxophone and certainly nobody was trying to do anything with...

It starts with a single sound. If there's something in that sound, then it's worth...

It starts with a single sound. If there's something in that sound, then it's worth...

I've performed solo for 20 years now, but I don't do much of it, because...

I've performed solo for 20 years now, but I don't do much of it, because...

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....

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...

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.