Someone once asked me if I was gay. I said, 'Do you think a three-letter word defines the complexity of my humanity?' I avoid the trap of easy definition. Cecil Taylor More Quotes by Cecil Taylor More Quotes From Cecil Taylor To me, the piano in itself is an orchestra. Cecil Taylor orchestrapianomusic 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 artistbeautifulmean Improvisation is the ability to talk to oneself. Cecil Taylor jazz-improvisationabilitymusic Rhythm is the life of space of time danced through. Cecil Taylor rhythmspace To feel is perhaps the most terrifying thing in this society. Cecil Taylor this-societyfeels 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 creationmusicalgoal Doesn't that fool know I recorded that song because I like it? Cecil Taylor foolmusicsong You must surrender whatever preconceptions you have about music if you're really interested in it. Cecil Taylor surrenderjazzmusic I try to imitate on the piano the leaps in space a dancer makes. Cecil Taylor dancerpianospace I discovered very early that it wasn't quite enough for me to imitate people. Cecil Taylor jazzmusicpeople Sometimes when it goes really well, you wonder, "who's that at the piano?" Cecil Taylor pianowondersometimes 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 wantpeoplethinking The quality of life, values that go down to doin' that, that's the issue. Cecil Taylor quality-of-lifeissuesquality 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 livemusiclifepeople Mother, being a pianist, told me how to play with my fingers on the piano. Cecil Taylor beingmemotherplay When I came out of the conservatory, the first thing I did was to go see Thelonious Monk. Cecil Taylor firstgoseemonk 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 musiciansunderstandmeunhappy One of the things Mother said to me, 'You want this, you're going to practice.' And I know how to practice. Cecil Taylor meyoupracticemother Fats - very funny man, but every note that he played was like a pearl. Cecil Taylor helikemanfunny When you play, when you perform, it might be for the last time, so you got to do it. Cecil Taylor lastyouplaytime
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