When I found the music of Monk I finally found music that fit that horn. Every one of his tunes fit it perfectly.

Quote by Steve Lacy

Topics: Steve Lacy Quotes

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...

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.

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 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.

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...

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.

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,...

Register is very important. Music sounds best in a certain register.

Register is very important. Music sounds best in a certain register.

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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.

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 started in New Orleans music and played all through the history of jazz.

I started in New Orleans music and played all through the history of jazz.

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...

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...

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....