If Charlie Parker were a Gunslinger, There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats Charles Mingus More Quotes by Charles Mingus More Quotes From Charles Mingus Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. Charles Mingus music inspirational art Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. Charles Mingus music inspiring inspirational I never heard my music played the way I heard it in my head. Charles Mingus heard way I am Charles Mingus, half black man, not even white enough to pass for nothing but black. I am Charles Mingus, a famed jazzman, but not famed enough to make a living in this society. Charles Mingus black white men I'm trying to play the truth of what I am. The reason it's difficult is because I'm changing all the time. Charles Mingus music play trying My music is evidence of my souls will to live. Charles Mingus evidence music-is soul I admire anyone who can come up with something original. But not originality alone, because there can be originality in stupidity, with no musical description of any emotion or any beauty the man has seen, or any kind of life he has lived. Charles Mingus stupidity musical men Bach is how buildings got taller. It's how we got to the moon. Charles Mingus building moon Making the complicated simple is true creativity. Charles Mingus creativity simple complicated I, myself, came to enjoy the players who didn't only just swing but who invented new rhythmic patterns, along with new melodic concepts. And those people are: Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Lester Young, Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Parker, who is the greatest genius of all to me because he changed the whole era around. Charles Mingus music player art I was always doing revolutionary things, things that would alert people, so they would stop being so subservient. Charles Mingus subservient revolutionary people Jazz music is a language of the emotions. Charles Mingus jazz music emotion My son's a painter. All through school his teachers tell him he's a genius. I tell him to paint me an apple that looks like an apple before he paints me one that doesn't. Go where you can go, but start from someplace recognizable. Charles Mingus teacher school son I've got a feeling that if it's so easy for you - the struggle and the initiative are not as strong as they are for a person who has to struggle and therefore has more to say. Charles Mingus strong struggle feelings Most customers, by the time the musicians reach the second set, are to some extent inebriated. They don't care what you play anyway. Charles Mingus musician care play In my music, I'm trying to play the truth of what I am. Charles Mingus jazz-and-life play trying Thelonius Monk went over to Bird and Bud Powell and said, 'I told you guys to act crazy, but I didn't tell you to fall in love with the act. You're really crazy now.' Charles Mingus falling-in-love music crazy They're singing your praises while stealing your phrases. Charles Mingus phrases singing music Life has many changes. Tomorrow it may rain, and it's supposed to be sunshine, 'cause it's summertime. But God's got a funny soul, he plays like Charlie Parker. Charles Mingus sunshine play rain Our nights didn't begin until after noon. Because in the old days, you'd start Birdland at 8:30 or 9 pm and play until 4 in the morning. Then you'd go out to the corner and talk to a couple of musicians - I used to talk to Oscar Pettiford a whole lot - you'd stand there till 7, 8 or 9, or else go down to the jam session at Minton's. Charles Mingus couple morning night
