51 Quotes by Lee Konitz

Sound is the first thing that we tune into.

I always felt as a horn player, a jam session wasn't satisfying enough for me. I should have been a rhythm section player, actually.

In some ways Lester Young is the most complex rhythmically of any musician. He does some things which are just phenomenal.

Many people do think it's naive to improvise in front of paying customers. I'm not saying one way is better than another.

Names and theoretical things don't occur to me. If they do, I'm not doing my real playing mode.

A lot of bands were doing remotes from ballrooms around the country.

I have been able to get a small audience. It's not the huge audience, but it's enough to make it possible to play. I appreciate that.

I hear many extra-musical things somehow in Coltrane.

I listen to classical music very much. There's a lot of jazz that I don't enjoy listening to.