Ornette Coleman quotes - page 2

That's why I haven't been so anxious. But now, lots of people write and say, 'I want to find out what you're doing.' So I know that this book will enlighten them. (Ornette Coleman)

I mostly like things that have causes more than effects, and this seemed to be a tune that is mostly effects. I don't get the cause clearly.

Ornette Coleman

Whatever you do, it's over when you do it - but first you have to do it.

Ornette Coleman

We in the Western world suffer from too many categories and classes; we've forgotten that we all still have diapers on. We've separated music from life.

Ornette Coleman

I asked my mother could I have an instrument. She said, 'Well if you go out and save your money.' So I went and got - I made me a shine box. I went out and started shining shoes, and I'd bring whatever I made.

Ornette Coleman

I don't really live like a musician myself. I think music is just something that I do, but I'd like to be doing lots of other things. I like to cure all kinds of illness.

Ornette Coleman

Most of my relationships have been like that - with record companies. I've never had a legitimate business relationship with a company. I've always had a personal relationship with someone in the company.

Ornette Coleman

I've never had a relationship with a record executive. I always went to the record company by someone that liked my playing. Then they would get fired, and I'd be left with the record company. And then - because they got fired - the record company wouldn't do anything for me.

Ornette Coleman

I don't know what they're thinking about. Just because someone says, 'I like what you do' or something: They might like it today and tomorrow they might not. I've had that experience with record companies.

Ornette Coleman

I would like to play for audiences who are not using my music to stimulate their sex organs.

Ornette Coleman

I remember once, we got an interview, and he said, 'Dad, these people are writing about me like I'm an adult. Don't they know I'm a kid?' I have never tried to encourage him to get a music image like other musicians have. (Ornette Coleman)

I've had those people very interested in my writing. Since I think of myself as a composer, I feel really good. I've had lots of guys call me up. I've gotten two or three commissions to write things. I've written lots of movie scores.

Ornette Coleman

Actually, I have another record I made with them in 1976, but I've had such a bad experience with record companies, because I keep my head so much in music and not in business.

Ornette Coleman

Actually, when I was in elementary school, I saw a saxophone. A band came to my school, and I saw this guy get up and play this solo. And I said, 'Oh man, what is that! That must be fantastic!'

Ornette Coleman

I've been playing with Blackwell over 20 years. We used to play when I first went to Los Angeles. Blackwell plays the drums as if he's playing a wind instrument. Actually, he sounds more like a talking drum.

Ornette Coleman

It just makes that person feel that what his work is is going to be more valid. But who wants to see a guy standing in front, looking like a bum, doing something that a bums don't do? This don't make sense.

Ornette Coleman

So, for instance, if you came to me, I'd ask,'Do you want to write? Do you want to improvise? Why do you want to play this instrument? What do you want to do?'

Ornette Coleman

I don't try to please when I play. I try to cure.

Ornette Coleman

Music has many uses and I think the most perfected use that music has is one of a healing quality.

Ornette Coleman

The idea is more important than the style you're playing in.

Ornette Coleman

For me, being an innovator doesn't mean being more intelligent, more rich, it's not a word, it's an action. (Ornette Coleman)

Sound has no parents.

Ornette Coleman

Making music is like a form of religion for me, because it soothes your heart and increases the pleasure of your brain. Most of all, it's very enjoyable to express something that you can only hear and not see, which is not bad.

Ornette Coleman

I'm interested in music, not in my image. If someone plays something fantastic, that I could never have thought of, it makes me happy to know it exists.

Ornette Coleman

Harmelody allows everybody to be an individual who does not have to imitate anybody else.

Ornette Coleman

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Ornette Coleman

Ornette Coleman - Image

Photo: Geert Vandepoele, CC BY-SA 2.0

Occupation: American Musician
Born: March 9, 1930
Died: June 11, 2015
Quotes count: 52
Wikipedia: Ornette Coleman

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