As a young child, I thought that all pianists played everything. I mean, I thought anything on piano - any piano music, all pianists played it. Allen Toussaint More Quotes by Allen Toussaint More Quotes From Allen Toussaint My music is homegrown from the garden of New Orleans. Music is everything to me short of breathing. Music also has a role to lift you up - not to be escapist but to take you out of misery. Allen Toussaint breathing new-orleans garden To get to New Orleans you don't pass through anywhere else. That geographical location, being aloof, lets it hold onto the ritual of its own pace more than other places that have to keep up with the progress. Allen Toussaint progress new-orleans pace And do respect the women of the world; remember you all had mothers. Allen Toussaint mother remembers-you remember-you Whenever I wrote songs - particularly back then - it would always be for a particular artist. Allen Toussaint particular artist song To play with a band all of the time, just about nightly, was good for me because I wrote lots of arrangements and I got a lot of my transposition and chords ironed out. Allen Toussaint chords band play As an early child, I tried to play every kind of music that I heard. I thought everyone was doing that. Allen Toussaint kind play children I never planned on being a live performer. My whole forte was about being in the studio, producing, playing the piano on recording sessions. I was all about the studio. Allen Toussaint forte piano performers When you're playing live, those people who you're trying to please and reach, they're right there giving you feedback. And you don't get that feedback in the studio. Allen Toussaint trying giving people To travel and to get around different places, especially in station wagons, you could really see America. Allen Toussaint wagons different america The mother-in-laws themselves weren't natural jokes but most comedians used to use that. Allen Toussaint comedian law mother Our upright wasn't much of a piano — it was a half-step flat the entire time we owned it — but that piano was everything to me. It was dark mahogany, almost black, with rouge crimps all over it. I took about eight piano lessons before my teacher gave up on me. I loved boogie-woogie and hillbilly music and gospel too much. Allen Toussaint entertainment
