The singer who really opened the door for me was Sarah Vaughan. But I listen to so much music, especially when I was growing up. My parents loved jazz music, so on Saturday [laughing] it would be the "Longine's Symphonettes," and on Sunday it was Mahalia Jackson.

Dianne Reeves

Categorized in : Doors Sunday Growing Up

The beauty of Billie Holiday is that she gave every singer after her the license to interpret and perform music in ways that were unique to each of us. Her uniqueness was very much a part of the way she sang the songs, the story she wanted to tell through the songs. I didn't really have a full understanding of Billie until I left home -- until I'd lived a little, shall we say. At different seasons of my life, when I'd sing her songs or listen to her albums, I'd hear things I didn't hear before. Wherever you are in life, you'll hear different things in her songs.

Dianne Reeves

holiday home song

You can't get to no better days Unless you make it through the night

Dianne Reeves

better-days night

Jazz was home. It created a hunger within me.

Dianne Reeves

jazz music home

There's a bridge to tomorrow, There's a bridge to the past.

Dianne Reeves

tomorrow bridges past

Silver gray hair Neatly combed in place There were four generations Of love on her face She was so wise No surprise passed her eyes She's seen it all

Dianne Reeves

grandma eye wise

Peter Martin’s artistry is nothing short of extraordinary. To sing with him is sublime – to listen to him play is a transcendent experience.

Dianne Reeves

peter sublime play

Even in a world with much sadness, at its essence, life is beautiful.

Dianne Reeves

sadness beautiful life world

Go out into the world with your passion and love for what you do, and just never give up.

Dianne Reeves

never-give-up you passion love

Art is a direct reflection of the life you live. What you experience comes out in your work.

Dianne Reeves

experience work life art

I think the only way for you to grow and evolve is to keep listening, keep moving forward, keep jumping in and trying to experience.

Dianne Reeves

you experience moving-forward way

I always say that improvisation is the utterance of one's spirit, and it dictates your life experience, and that's how you find your concepts and your way for painting your musical picture.

Dianne Reeves

you painting experience life

When I first heard Nina Simone, her naked truth shocked me. Whenever she sang, it felt like lightning bolts in my soul. Every song was like a movie, a unique and very different vignette.

Dianne Reeves

me soul truth song

Your voice is not your instrument. Your voice is the character that you build, your innermost feelings, the things that you want to say, and your instrument is the vehicle that you use to carry the message.

Dianne Reeves

you voice feelings character

I feel proud of my journey. I wouldn't change it.

Dianne Reeves

feel proud change journey

I'm a chameleon. When you put me in certain soils, musically speaking, I will be in that place.

Dianne Reeves

will place me you

I like coming home and sharing things I've tasted or seen.

Dianne Reeves

sharing things like home

I had aunts who played piano and sang and also were entertainers, so music was very much a part of my life.

Dianne Reeves

my-life piano music life

I remember my grandmother used to always say, 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket.' But when I realized that music was inside of me, I decided I'm putting all my eggs in one basket.

Dianne Reeves

inside me music remember

I had really great art classes. Really great art teachers. Arts played a very important role in having a place to express yourself uniquely.

Dianne Reeves

teachers yourself great art

I love New York City because there's something to do 24/7, something that will make you see things in a whole different light. Like they say, it's the city that never sleeps.

Dianne Reeves

city you light love