Miles Davis Quotes was one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time. His influence on the jazz genre is undeniable, and his impact on music in general is profound. His words were as powerful as his music, and they are just as relevant today. Here are some of the most famous quotes from Miles Davis.
Miles Davis quotes on career
💠 “When you get in front of an audience, you should try to give ’em something. After all, they’re there looking at you like this. You can’t go out and give ’em nothing.” – Miles Davis
💠“I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning… Every day I find something creative to do with my life.” – Miles Davis
“When you do anything too long, you either wear it out or lose interest.” – Miles Davis
💠“A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I’m still doing it.” – Miles Davis
💠“If you don’t know what to play, play nothing.” – Miles Davis
💠“If it sounds clean and slick, I’ve been doing it too long.” – Miles Davis
💠“I always listen to what I can leave out.” – Miles Davis
💠“If you sacrifice your art because of some woman, or some man, or for some color, or for some wealth, you can’t be trusted.” – Miles Davis
Miles Davis quotes on music
💠“You want to know how I started playing trumpet? My father bought me one, and I studied the trumpet. And everybody I heard that I liked, I picked up things from.” – Miles Davis
💠“When I’m playing, I’m never through. It’s unfinished. I like to find a place to leave for someone else to finish it. That’s where the high comes in.” – Miles Davis
💠“In school I was the best, but the prizes went to boys with blue eyes. I made up my mind to outdo anybody white on my horn.” – Miles Davis
💠“Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around.” – Miles Davis
💠“I know what I’ve done for music, but don’t call me a legend. Just call me Miles Davis.” – Miles Davis
💠 “If you got up on the bandstand at Minton’s and couldn’t play, you were not only going to be embarrassed by the people ignoring you or booing you, you might get your ass kicked.” – Miles Davis
💠“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.” – Miles Davis
💠“It’s always been a gift with me, hearing music the way I do. I don’t know where it comes from, it’s just there and I don’t question it.” – Miles Davis
💠“Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.” – Miles Davis
💠“For me, music and life are all about style.” – Miles Davis
💠“The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.” – Miles Davis
💠“Don’t worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one.” – Miles Davis
More Miles Davis quotes about music
💠“You know why I quit playing ballads? Cause I love playing ballads.” – Miles Davis
“Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherf****r who plays it is 80 percent.” – Miles Davis
💠“I don’t care if a dude is purple with green breath as long as he can swing.” – Miles Davis
💠“You’d be surprised. Drummers ape each other. The way every rock n’ roll record sounds like something else but not all together. Everything other drummers play, if you’re playing drums, they all hear.” – Miles Davis
💠“I always hated categories. Always. Never thought it had any place in music.” – Miles Davis
Conclusion
Miles Davis was a legendary jazz musician who left an incredible legacy of both music and words. His quotes are a great reminder of the importance of creativity, passion, and hard work. His life and words continue to inspire and motivate generations of musicians and fans alike.