133 Quotes by Duke Ellington

The word [jazz] never lost its association with those New Orleans bordellos. In the 1920s I used to try to convince Fletcher Henderson that we ought to call what we were doing 'Negro music'. But it's too late for that now.

Art is dangerous. It is one of the attractions: when it ceases to be dangerous, you don't want it.

If it sounds good and feels good, then it IS good!

What does music mean to you? What would you do without music?

If anybody was Mr. Jazz it was Louis Armstrong. He was the epitome of jazz and always will be. He is what I call an American standard, an American original. ... I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues. ... I don't need time, I need a deadline. ...There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind. ... Music is my mistress, and she plays second fiddle to no one.

Dancing is very important to people who play music with a beat. I think that people who don't dance, or who never did dance, don't really understand the beat... I know musicians who don't and never did dance, and they have difficulty communicating.

Be a number one yourself. And not a number two somebody else.

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

A goal is a dream with a finish line.