Improvisation is the ability to talk to oneself. Cecil Taylor More Quotes by Cecil Taylor More Quotes From Cecil Taylor To me, the piano in itself is an orchestra. Cecil Taylor orchestra piano music In short, [Coltrane's] tone is beautiful because it is functional. In other words, it is always involved in saying something. You can't separate the means that a man uses to say something from what he ultimately says. Technique is not separated from its content in a great artist. Cecil Taylor artist beautiful mean Rhythm is the life of space of time danced through. Cecil Taylor rhythm space To feel is perhaps the most terrifying thing in this society. Cecil Taylor this-society feels If you take the creation of music and the creation of your own life values as your overall goal, then living becomes a musical process. Cecil Taylor creation musical goal Doesn't that fool know I recorded that song because I like it? Cecil Taylor fool music song You must surrender whatever preconceptions you have about music if you're really interested in it. Cecil Taylor surrender jazz music I try to imitate on the piano the leaps in space a dancer makes. Cecil Taylor dancer piano space I discovered very early that it wasn't quite enough for me to imitate people. Cecil Taylor jazz music people Sometimes when it goes really well, you wonder, "who's that at the piano?" Cecil Taylor piano wonder sometimes I understand about the relative strengths of people, and I don't think people have to be anything. They can be nothin' if they want to be. Cecil Taylor want people thinking The quality of life, values that go down to doin' that, that's the issue. Cecil Taylor quality-of-life issues quality I'm saying that people who are enmeshed in situations of subjugation and have to live, have to find ways to project their dignity as human beings - in spite of all the efforts of those around them to degrade them - I'm saying that this music is the manifestation of the dignity in the life that has always been present. Cecil Taylor live music life people Mother, being a pianist, told me how to play with my fingers on the piano. Cecil Taylor being me mother play When I came out of the conservatory, the first thing I did was to go see Thelonious Monk. Cecil Taylor first go see monk The first record I made, when I listen to it, I understand. I understand perfectly well why certain musicians were unhappy with me. I had to decide: was I unhappy with me? I liked it. If they didn't like it, it was on them. Cecil Taylor musicians understand me unhappy One of the things Mother said to me, 'You want this, you're going to practice.' And I know how to practice. Cecil Taylor me you practice mother Fats - very funny man, but every note that he played was like a pearl. Cecil Taylor he like man funny When you play, when you perform, it might be for the last time, so you got to do it. Cecil Taylor last you play time They say, 'We will give you money, but we want you to play this or that.' And I always thought, 'If I'm going to do that, I might as well go back and be a dishwasher.' Cecil Taylor will thought you money