I don't try to please when I play. I try to cure. Ornette Coleman More Quotes by Ornette Coleman More Quotes From Ornette Coleman I've never had a relationship with a record executive. I always went to the record company by someone that liked my playing. Then they would get fired, and I'd be left with the record company. And then - because they got fired - the record company wouldn't do anything for me. Ornette Coleman executives company records If you decide you want to be treated good, and you treat someone else good, or you want to learn something, it's information. It's getting the right, good information. Ornette Coleman treats information want It seems to me that in the western world, culture has something to do with appearance. A person that's out creating good stuff has got to appreciate someone when they take the time to have an appearance that goes with what they're doing. Ornette Coleman creating appreciate culture Jerry Garcia was one of the original American icons. He played naturally and beautifully. Ornette Coleman jerry icons originals When I have them working together, it's like a beautiful kaleidoscope. Ornette Coleman working-together together beautiful After I found out that I was playing music and that I'd have to learn how to read and write music, I started doing that about two years later. Finally, I said, "Oh, that means what I really want to do is to be a composer." But when I was coming up in Texas, there was segregation. There was no schools to go to. I taught myself how to read and how to start writing. Ornette Coleman writing mean school I didn't know I was improvising, i just thought that was the way you played music ... I didn't think of a structure and what you could and couldn't do. Ornette Coleman people Actually, I have another record I made with them in 1976, but I've had such a bad experience with record companies, because I keep my head so much in music and not in business. Ornette Coleman bad experience music business Actually, when I was in elementary school, I saw a saxophone. A band came to my school, and I saw this guy get up and play this solo. And I said, 'Oh man, what is that! That must be fantastic!' Ornette Coleman man play said school I remember once, we got an interview, and he said, 'Dad, these people are writing about me like I'm an adult. Don't they know I'm a kid?' I have never tried to encourage him to get a music image like other musicians have. Ornette Coleman me dad music people I've been playing with Blackwell over 20 years. We used to play when I first went to Los Angeles. Blackwell plays the drums as if he's playing a wind instrument. Actually, he sounds more like a talking drum. Ornette Coleman like play talking wind I've had those people very interested in my writing. Since I think of myself as a composer, I feel really good. I've had lots of guys call me up. I've gotten two or three commissions to write things. I've written lots of movie scores. Ornette Coleman good myself me people It just makes that person feel that what his work is is going to be more valid. But who wants to see a guy standing in front, looking like a bum, doing something that a bums don't do? This don't make sense. Ornette Coleman looking doing feel work
