Lester Young Quotes


Lester Young

The trouble with most musicians today is that they are copycats. Of course you have to start out playing like someone else. You have a model, or a teacher, and you learn all that he can show you. But then you start playing for yourself. Show them that you`re an individual. And I can count those who are doing that today on the fingers of one hand.

Originality`s the thing. You can have tone and technique and a lot of other things but without originality you ain`t really nowhere. Gotta be original.

Due to the uncertainties, and the (new) special education (charges), we decided not to.