Ornette Coleman Quotes

I still picture myself as a student of the music. I'm always trying to learn new things. Music is just what makes me tick.

I had a ukulele when I was much younger. I have no idea what happened to it but I think that was part of it, just being inspired and wanting to try to play an instrument that, to me, sounded beautiful.

I played the flute in elementary school, but when I got into high school, they didn't have any flutes; they gave me a clarinet and said, 'Play it in the same way, just hold in a different position.' I really didn't care much for it.

But I could not imagine having a child and the child not having a relationship with music that opens up their mind and their imagination and teaches them things.

I played the sax at school. I was in marching band.

Music is a really great creative tool for me, for different roles.

I think one of the great things about being a musician is that you never stop learning.

If you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice.

Music - that's been my education. There's not a day that goes by that I take it for granted.

Learning how to improvise really awakened my interest in music.

I saw the film 'Amadeus' from when I was five, which made me want to take piano lessons.

Nobody was playing the soprano saxophone and certainly nobody was trying to do anything with it. So I was all alone. I didn't know that at first.

I just play, and I'm always trying to write songs.

And I saw the sax line-up that he had behind him and I thought, I'm going to learn the saxophone. When I grow up, I'm going to play in his band. So I sort of persuaded my dad to get me a kind of a plastic saxophone on the hire purchase plan.

I was inspired to make music since I was 7 because my aunt is a songwriter.

I play saxophone, I play tenor sax.

I look at my clarinet sometimes and I think, I wonder what's going to come out of there tonight? You never know.

The saxophone is a very interesting machine, but I'm more interested in music.

Most people don't even know what a trombone is. It's not that popular as a front instrument... I picked it up and fell in love with it as a kid. It's a difficult instrument, but I like doing things that seem impossible.

I didn't start playing drums until I was 12, for school band; they didn't have any saxophones left. My step-pops had a kit at the house, and I had never done anything that I understood so quick. It was so natural. It was the most fun and consistent thing in my life.

I remember that I started playing brass - not so much because I had a calling but because I thought it looked cool.

I ain't the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I've dedicated my life to music since I was 7 and my dad bought me a guitar and the 'Meet the Beatles' album.

I loved playing the saxophone.

All of my solos were improvised initially - I would go in and get my bearings and see what I came up with.

When I was 8 years old, there was a showcase of all the instruments you can learn at my school. This guy was playing the trumpet. I heard it and was like 'Oof I got to learn to play.' The sound - everything was amazing. I was blown away.