(Quotes from Miles Davis. . . )
"I've changed music four or five times. What have you done of any importance other than be white?"
Davis attended a reception in honor of Ray Charles at Ronald Reagan's White House in 1987. This was his reply to a Washington society lady seated next to him who had asked him what he had done to be invited.
"If somebody told me I only had an hour to live, I'd spend it choking a white man. I'd do it nice and slow." During an interview, after growing aggravated about questions on the subject of race.
"A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I'm still doing it." On being called a legend.
"Jazz is like blues with a shot of heroin"
"Who's that motherfucker? He can't play shit!"
on Cecil Taylor
"You a motherfucker." a compliment to Chick Corea, who thought he was about to be fired.
"He plays like somebody is standing on his foot." on Eric Dolphy
"He could very well be the Duke Ellington of Rock 'n' Roll." on Prince
"Why'd you put that white bitch on there?"
To George Avakian after seeing the cover chosen by Columbia for Miles Ahead.
"You can't play anything on a horn that Louis hasn't played." and "I love Pops" (Louis' nickname)
on Louis Armstrong in a Playboy magazine interview.
"I’ll play it and tell you what it is later." During a recording session for Prestige, on the album "Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet" (1956).
"Listen baby, when I say later, I mean it! Later!" After being approached by a relentless interviewer.
"There are no wrong notes." My ego only needs a good rhythm section.
On being asked what he looked for in musicians. "When you are creating your own shit, man, even the sky ain't the limit."
"Try taking the fucking horn out of your mouth." Davis was questioning the increasing length of John Coltrane solos, and Trane answered "I don't know how to stop."
"Don't play what's there, play what's not there.
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