Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play.

They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.

I can play all I know in eight bars.

Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play.

Some guys said 'Here's bop!' Wham! They said, 'Here's something we can make money on!' Wham! 'Here's a comedian!' Wham! Here's a guy who talks funny talk!'

Don't be afraid, just play the music.

It's just music. It's trying to play clean and looking for the pretty notes. The beat in a bop band is with the music, against it, behind it. It pushes it. It helps it. Help is the big thing. It has no continuity of beat, no steady chug-chug. Jazz has, and that's why bop is more flexible.