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

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...

Kenny G, I have to be grateful to him for proving that the instrument can...

Kenny G, I have to be grateful to him for proving that the instrument can...

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....

Jazz is people's music, a collectivity.

Jazz is people's music, a collectivity.

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...

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.

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...

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...

The potential for the saxophone is unlimited.

The potential for the saxophone is unlimited.

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...

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...

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...

Saxophone is one thing, and music is another.

Saxophone is one thing, and music is another.

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

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

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...

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....

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

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

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.

Bamboo is not a weed, it's a flowering plant. Bamboo is a magnificent plant.

Bamboo is not a weed, it's a flowering plant. Bamboo is a magnificent plant.

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...