Jazz isn't dead yet. It's the underpinning of everything in this country. Whether it's a Broadway show, or fusion, or right on through classical music, if it's coming out of the U.S., it's not going to survive unless it's got some jazz influence. Dave Brubeck More Quotes by Dave Brubeck More Quotes From Dave Brubeck The use of rock, folk, or pop music serves a purpose. It gets people into the church. But an inexperienced guitar player who doesn't have much to say, for example, can make me wish to leave the church immediately, whereas one great jazz or classical guitarist can confirm that I will have a spiritual experience in the church. Dave Brubeck player spiritual people There are a lot of people on the lowest rung of Jacob's Ladder, and we must somehow reach down, give them a hand, and make them want to climb. A little really good music never hurt anyone. And when people are given good music they can grow spiritually and even discover they like it. Dave Brubeck hurt giving people The reality for me is simple. When music is written, it is usually categorized as classical. When it is improvised, it can still be called classical if it is an inspired improvisation. In either category, it is still music, and it can be good or bad or simply mediocre. Dave Brubeck inspired simple reality Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, and many other great jazz musicians objected to their music being called jazz. While the outside world may want to put a label on it, those who create it think of it just as music, and tend not to classify it. Dave Brubeck musician art thinking Over the years I've had strong friendships with many priests. As a matter of fact, a group of Christian leaders from the National Council of Churches came to my house in the 1950s to ask me to write music for a Mass. I didn't think I was ready at that time. So, in a sense, I guess joining the church and writing the Mass was a culmination of a long journey that is still going on. Dave Brubeck strong christian writing The first choral music I remember hearing was Handel's 'Messiah' when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast it over the radio. Dave Brubeck hearing radio firsts After the Second World War, I returned to California to study composition with Darius Milhaud, who wrote wonderful works like 'Le Boeuf sur le Toit' and 'La Cretion du Monde.' I especially enjoy his work for two pianos, 'Scaramouche. Dave Brubeck piano california war I wanted to be like my father, who was a cattle man and a rodeo roper. And that was - he was my hero, and I wanted to be more like him. Dave Brubeck hero men father I knew even if I'm a cowboy, I'm going to be involved in jazz in some way. Dave Brubeck cowboy jazz way I started growing up in a hurry and taking a lot of the philosophy I'd heard from church as a kid a lot more seriously - especially the Ten Commandments - and wondering how 'Thou shalt not kill' could be so absolutely ignored. It took me until I was in my 40s to write what I was thinking as a young soldier. Dave Brubeck growing-up philosophy kids If there's a deadline, I work late. If not, I like to have normal hours, and get up early and work. When things are going well, I hate to quit. And then I'll work 'till exhausted. Dave Brubeck up-early normal hate If I told you all the people that have secretly told me I've influenced them, you'd never believe it, and you'll never see it in print, either. Dave Brubeck print believe people I played a lot of sports and it's the plays in basketball that weren't worked out that are the ones that are just fantastic that you remember. We don't know the power that's within our own bodies. Dave Brubeck basketball inspirational sports You could play probably a span of 50 years of me playing St. Louis Blues, and most of the time it will be different every time. Dave Brubeck different play years When you hear Bach or Mozart, you hear perfection. Remember that Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were great improvisers. I can hear that in their music. Dave Brubeck i-can perfection remember My dad was the manager at the 45,000-acre ranch, but he owned his own 1,200-acre ranch, and I owned four cattle that he gave to me when I graduated from grammar school, from the eighth grade. And those cows multiplied, and he kept track of them for years for me. And that was my herd. Dave Brubeck dad years school My mother Elizabeth Ivey Brubeck was a pianist who studied with Dame Myra Hess and Tobias Matthey. As a child in California I used to listen to her play Chopin. Dave Brubeck mother play children You have to be taught to hate. Dave Brubeck taught hate When I was first aware that I couldn't read music I didn't know I couldn't read because I could play the music that was in front of me. Dave Brubeck knows play firsts What I want to happen is to be really creative, and to play something new in the improvisations, every time. Dave Brubeck creative want play
