See, if you put a musician in a place where he has to do something different from what he does all the time, then he can do that - but he's got to think differently in order to do it. He's got to play above what he knows - far above it. I've always told the musicians in my band to play what they know and then play above that. Because then anything can happen, and that's where great art and music happens.
Miles DavisThe reason [drummers] call things "unison", and they sound unison, is because you actually play two different tempos . . . like you're a little sharp, or a little flat; it's so slight that they call it "unison", but it's not unison.
Miles DavisIt's like, how did Columbus discover America when the Indians were already here? What kind of s-- is that, but white people's s--?
Miles DavisI don't like to hear someone put down dixieland. Those people who say there's no music but bop are just stupid; it shows how much they don't know.
Miles Davis