Quotation Tuesday 9!
The great American jazz musician Miles Davis once said,
"I'll play it first and tell you what it is later."
Good jazz music is not something you write out note for note ahead of time. It's created in the moment according to what the musician is feeling and the same song will never sound the same twice, even if they wanted it to. To be honest, I don't even really like listening to much recorded jazz music. But seeing an amazing jazz musician live, and realizing that he has no more idea of which notes his fingers will play 5 seconds from now than I do, I'm entranced.
Maybe Miles Davis was talking only about music when he said that quote, and maybe not. But I've got his phrase stuck in my head the past few days and I've been saying it to myself about life in general. It's a nice silent internal comeback for those self-doubts that sometimes creep into my mind.
"I'll play it first and tell you what it is later." I wish I could have seen Miles Davis say that.
I aspire to live my life with a little more of that relaxed swagger. A little more confidence, more letting go of the need for a rigid plan for my next steps, and instead making them up as I go along. I mean, a jazz musician like Miles Davis PLANS to make it up as he goes along if he wants it to be any good. I'm not saying to throw out your retirement savings plans or anything, but if you want to do something but just cannot imagine what the process of doing would look like, or what the point of doing it would even be...maybe you should just start doing it and trust yourself to play it first, and tell everybody what it is later.
"I'll play it first and tell you what it is later."" />
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Comments
nobody is now here with us Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.
Jimi Hendrix
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix
osumarko Wednesday, March 24, 2010
"Like Miles Davis, I've been swayed by the cool. There's just something about the summertime, something about the moon."
For musical improvisation I prefer the blues over jazz.
romeo Wednesday, March 24, 2010
"I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics."
— Woody Allen
Blargal Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Hello,Brigitte.
Having a less structured life, can be theraputic. You stress yourself out less on the daily stuff,and can freely think your way around problems.
Jazz has little structure, so a song can go where it does,and the result is an interesting tune.And it makes us hapy,and not stressed.
Rob Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Every time I hear the word Jazz, I think of coffee.
Domesticated-Bliss Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Love this quote :)
followme@:
www.domesticated-bliss.blogspot.com
Joe436 Thursday, March 25, 2010
"A plan is just a list of things that don't happen"
Quote from movie "The Way of the Gun"
Bilal Thursday, March 25, 2010
Just wanted to say thanks for the Winnie-the-Pooh quote. I car pool with a work friend and on Monday on our drive home she shared a story with me and in turn I shared with her: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." — A.A. Milne
Thanks :)
Christine Thursday, March 25, 2010
Hi Brigitte,
I have been long time fan of your blogs. All of your videos, craft projects, recipes, and now your Good Mood Blog lift my spirits and inspire me. I love that you just do your thing and it has become somewhat of an internet phenomenon. I even blog about your blog in my blog from time to time :) This post, however, really hits home, and I'm glad you shared this quote. Society is always pressuring us to make plans, I mean it starts when were just kids with "what you want to be when you grow up?" All the time we spend planning and scheming, we could be "doing" and I'm learning this slowly. Hope you keep doing what you do! Thanks again.