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

quote by Lee Konitz
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Out of Coltrane's whole history, there are things which I think are great from all the periods.

quote by Lee Konitz
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We all learn from each other, and I never really hung out with guys in that way, so I missed out.

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Benny Goodman was one of the big influences as a clarinet player. That's why I wanted the clarinet.

quote by Lee Konitz
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Most jazz players work out their solos, at least to the extent that they have a very specific vocabulary.

quote by Lee Konitz
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It was 100 percent music. There was no ego involved, no attitudes, no black and white, it was pure music.

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I understood that if I wanted to work, the saxophone was the main instrument. The clarinet was what we call a double.

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

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

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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.

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