Sometimes you hear or read a quote or thought by a musician or music lover which has a meaning you can identify with, which strikes a chord. Or perhaps you read some striking factual information. Three rather dated jazz quotes, for example, are 'It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing' and 'Jazz is the sound of surprise' both by Ellington and 'If you've got to ask, you'll never know' by Basie.
I thought it might be thought provoking to gather some of these things together and list them hereunder. Some of my own thoughts too.
I will add more as I discover them or wallow in more philosophical moods (it's old age and melancholy!).
So here goes - - -

'If it's not lyrical I'm not interested' - Chet Baker.
'Listening is the key' - Jim Hall.
'You'll just have to listen because I don't talk loud' - Ed Bickert.
'He plays with subtlety and intelligence. Unfortunately these are the least appreciated qualities' - Gunther Schuller talking about Lee Konitz.
'Listen with your ears not your eyes and you will see the truth' - R Veitch.
'I could spend the rest of my days playing just All The Things You Are' - Lee Konitz.
'A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to the it's original dimension' - passed on to me by Kathleen Marlor.
'Sometimes you can learn more about music by just going for a walk in the countryside' - R Veitch.
'If you strip away the history of jazz guitar to it's essence, all you would be left with is Freddie Green' - Jim Hall.
'Technique is not technique - it's how you use technique' - anon.
'Music means everything yet all the music that ever existed is not as important as a single leaf on a tree' - R Veitch.
'The true jazz fan embraces all idioms with great affection, from Ragtime to Free Jazz.
Those who favour some areas of the music and jibe at others do jazz a disservice. It's how well it is played which is all that matters' - R Veitch.
'Embrace the new - cherish the old' - R Veitch.

Come fill the cup and in the fire of spring
Thy winter garment of repentance fling
The bird of time has but a little way to flutter
And the bird is on the wing.

Gather ye rose buds while ye may
Old time is still a-flying
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.

'True musical depth is not about better playing but about more organic playing' - Kenny Werner.
'Sometimes it's not what you say but what you don't say that says something' - R Veitch.
'Some players have a beautiful touch on their instrument. They speak with the deepest emotion' - R Veitch.
'It's the sound of a girl saying Yes' - Hoagy Carmichael talking about Bix Beiderbecke's stunningly beautiful tone.
Astonishing fact - in one year, 1815, when only eighteen years of age, the lyrical genius Franz Schubert had his 'annus mirablis' - a phenomenal output of compositions. Four singspiel, one and a half symphonies, a string quartet, nine works for solo piano, eight orchestral church works, twenty four partsongs mostly with piano accompaniment and around one hundred and forty lieder songs. Over half this output included full orchestration.
Had he been a full time composer that output would have been remarkable but during that year he was employed as a teacher, maintained social contacts with old students, had twice a week lessons with his mentor Salieri, went to concerts/rehearsals, did some private teaching (source - Schubert - the Music and the Man - Brian Newbould).
I wonder if he had he been around today might he have been a great jazz musician?
'Why play six notes when one or two might just sound better' - R Veitch.
'One good paintbrush is better than ten cheap ones' - R Veitch.
'Naah - too hard' - Barry Galbraith.
The skylark never stops its joyous singing from the moment it rises into the air till it drops back to earth. It seems like it is in a state of blissful ecstacy. How nice if we could achieve that when playing. I asked my wife why it sung like that - she said it must be as happy as a lark! - R Veitch

Hail to thee, blithe spirit
Bird thou never wert
That from heaven, or near it
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strain of unpremeditated art.

Teach us, sprite or bird
What sweet thoughts are thine
I have never heard
Praise of love or wine
That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine.

Teach me half the gladness
That thy brain must know
Such harmonious madness
From my lips would flow
The world should listen then, as I am listening now. (extract from Shelley's 'Ode to the Skylark').

Up with me! up with me into the clouds!
For thy song, Lark, is strong;
Up with me, up with me into the clouds!
Singing, singing,
With clouds and sky about thee ringing,
Lift me, guide me till I find
That spot which seems so to thy mind! ('To a Skylark' by William Wordsworth).

'You have to be content with those who love and understand. As for the rest, well, they are just not worth bothering about' - Frederick Delius, late in his life.
'The bass player is the most important member of the band - by a mile. A good bass player makes it all happen. A poor bass player makes it all very hard work' - R Veitch.
'The trickiest thing about playing fast is finding coherent ways to stop' - R Veitch.
Re. music - 'there are some who give the impression of knowing everything and who actually know nothing and there are those who give the impression of knowing little who actually know quite a lot' - R Veitch
'Good time is metronome time - great time is elasticity of time built upon a foundation of metronome time' - R Veitch
'Never trust someone with a fast vibrato'- R Veitch.
'Quite often simple things, played well, are the best of all. Paradoxically, attaining simple beauty is the most elusive thing.' - R Veitch.


WRY COMMENT/QUOTES

'If it's so important to read the small print, why is it in small print?' - Lance Liddle.
'Sub-Prime' - a banker's way of describing absolute crap! - R Veitch.
'Pens don't run out - they run away' - Lance Liddle.

PROVERBS

I like proverbs - they are like folk music, handed down aurally generation to generation, the wisdom of past experience. How sad that many are dying out due to lack of usage.
I realised it when, at my old place of work, I referred to 'not spoiling the ship for a halfpennyworth of tar' to get only a blank, puzzled reaction from my younger colleagues.
So here is a list of some of my favourite old proverbs - I will add more in time.
For a comprehensive list of them visit website www.manythings.org/proverbs

Don't spoil the ship for a half-pennyworth of tar.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Many hands make light work.
Look before you leap.
Wise head, silent mouth.
Procrastination is the thief of time.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Time and tide stand still for no man.
You never miss the water till the well runs dry.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
A bad penny always turns up.
A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Actions speak louder than words.
All good things must come to an end.
All is fair in love and war.
All that glitters is not gold.
All's well that ends well.
Appearances can be deceptive.
As you make your bed so must you lie in it.
As you sow, so shall you reap.
Ask no questions and hear no lies.
Bad news travels fast.
Beauty is skin deep.
Beggars can't be choosers.
Better late than never.
Better safe than sorry.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Blood is thicker than water.
Boys will be boys.
Charity begins at home.
Christmas comes but once a year.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Crime does not pay.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Dead men tell no lies.
Death is the great leveller.
Diligence is the mother of good fortune.
Discretion is the better part of valour.
Divide and conquer.
Do as I say and not as I do.
Do not overstay your welcome.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
Don't get into deep water before you can swim.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
Early to bed, early to rise - makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
Easier said than done.
Every bird loves to hear his own song.
Every dog has his day.
A skeleton in the cupboard.
Everyone has their price.
Every picture tells a story.
Experience is the mother of all wisdom.
Failure teaches success.
Success breeds success.
Faith can move mountains.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Fear of death is worse than death itself.
Fight fire with fire.
Finders keepers, losers weepers.
First come, first served.
First things first.
Think before you speak.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Give credit where credit is due.
Give him an inch and he'll take a yard.
Give the devil his due.
God helps those who help themselves.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Goodness is better than beauty.
Great minds think alike (repost - small ones rarely differ).
He that is master of himself shall soon be master of others.
He that knows nothing doubts nothing.
He that plants a tree plants for posterity.
He who hesitates is lost.
Honesty is the best policy.
If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well.
Ignorance is bliss.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
It is best to be on the safe side.
It's no use crying over spilt milk.
It never rains but it pours.
It takes two to tango.
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Mouth shut, eyes open.
Laughter is the best medicine.
Let bygones be bygones.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Let the buyer beware.
Life is just a bowl of cherries.
Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.
Like father, like son.
Like mother, like daughter.
Live and learn.
Live and let live.
Look after number one.
Always look on the bright side.
Love conquers all.
Love is blind.
Love makes the world go round.
Love sees no faults.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Men can not live by bread alone.
Many hands make light work.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Might is right.
Mind your own business.
Money is the root of all evil.
Money isn't everything.


Roly Veitch
19th May 2008
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