When I came up, it was all about originality and collective research. There is an awful lot of imitation going on now.

Quote by Steve Lacy

Topics: Steve Lacy Quotes

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...

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...

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...

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.

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.

Jazz is like wine. When it is new, it is only for the experts, but...

Jazz is like wine. When it is new, it is only for the experts, but...

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...

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.

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.

Jazz is people's music, a collectivity.

Jazz is people's music, a collectivity.

Before the work comes to you, you have to invent work.

Before the work comes to you, you have to invent work.

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...

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....

Saxophone is one thing, and music is another.

Saxophone is one thing, and music is another.

I've always been extremely lucky in playing with great people who knew much more than...

I've always been extremely lucky in playing with great people who knew much more than...

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...

When I found the music of Monk I finally found music that fit that horn....

When I found the music of Monk I finally found music that fit that horn....

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....

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...

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...