John Otto Quotes

They said Bird played bebop, but Bird could still swing. I've heard a lot of guys play bebop, but they wasn't swinging.

Jazz music is to be played sweet, soft, plenty rhythm.

The patterns of big-band music are smooth and classical. It's got to be fresh. The brass section should crackle, like the sound of eggs being dropped into hot grease.

Jazz told people about the special music that came out of America and about America in general and this kind of liberty and freedom that we have.

There's not much music I'll listen to if it doesn't have pretty heavy swing. Rhythm is so important. Punk rock would have more power and feeling if it had swing.

Darlin... be-bop is the music of the future.

Jazz is the American’s preferred music, and it is created by Negroes to satisfy their love of noise and to whet their sexual desires ...

Jazz music is the American's music of choice. This is that music that the Negroes invented to satisfy their primitive inclinations, as well as their desire to be noisy.

Jazz music is the power of now.

I just think swing is a matter of some good things put together that you can really pat your foot by. I can't define it beyond that.

Jazz music just resonates with the frequency of me.

Jazz is a beautiful word. I love it.

Jazz is really 20th-century fusion music. You take West African harmony and rhythm, mix with European harmony, and boom!

The main three components are the blues, improvisation - which is some kind of element that people are trying to make it up - and swing, which means even though they're making up music, they're trying to make it up together. It feels great, like you're having a great conversation with somebody.

Jazz is people's music, a collectivity.

I'm a pianist - I studied jazz piano in college.

In fact, jazz has such a great feeling and great emotional content that it really doesn't require you to have technical understanding of it. I think you just have to allow your feelings to go with the music and you will find yourself carried along by it fairly quickly.

My music is jazz.

More than anybody else I'd like to thank Count Basie for teaching me how to perform.

Jazz should be recognized as music of the people, based in a lot of accents and melodies. What is jazz but music that people danced to? Jazz has the dynamic thing. I don't think you have to be playing only Charlie Parker licks on your horn or whatever the new version of that is.

Jazz is a very accurate, curiously accurate accompaniment to 20th century America.

Jazz music creates so many phenomenal figures.

In jazz, there is a lot of European influence harmonically.

Jazz is a music of great achievements but speed and chops serve a different function in jazz.

As far as other instrumentalists, I used to love mellow sax players like Paul Desmond. I love piano.