Top John Coltrane Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

John Coltrane Biography

John William Coltrane, also known as "Trane" (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967), was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and was later at the forefront of free jazz. He led at least fifty recording sessions during his career, and appeared as a sideman on many albums by other musicians, including trumpeter Miles Davis and pianist Thelonious Monk.

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John Coltrane Quotes

I think I know what it is but don't ask me to play it

Ask, Inspirational, Know, Play, Think, Thinking

. . . That is one of the main causes of this arrogance: the idea of power. Then you lose your true power which is to be part of all, and the only way you can be part of all is to understand it. And when you don't understand, you have to go humbly to it. You don't go to school and say, 'I know what you're going to teach me'.

Arrogance, Music, Part, School, Teach, True Power

My goal is to live the truly religious life, and express it in my music. If you live it, when you play there's no problem because the music is part of the whole thing. To be a musician is really something. It goes very, very deep. My music is the spiritual expression of what I am - my faith, my knowledge, my being.

Express, Expression, Play, Problem, Religious, Spiritual

The first time I heard Bird play, it hit me right between the eyes.

Bird, Eye, Music, Play, Right

We should pray and seek for knowledge which would enable us to portray and project the things we love in music, in a way that might wholly or in some part, be appreciated as having been conceived and composed or performed and presented with dedication and in positive taste

Appreciated, Dedication, Having, Might, Performed, Way

I want to be a force for real good. In other words, I know there are bad forces. You know, I know that there are forces out here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world, but I want to be the opposite force. I want to be the force which is truly for good.

Good, Misery, Opposites, Real, Suffering

Change is inevitable in music - things change.

Inevitable, Inevitable Change, Music, Things, Things Change

You can play a shoestring if you're sincere.

Jazz, Music, Play, Shoestring, Sincere

Considering the great heritage in music that we have - the work of the giants of the past, the present, and the promise of those who are to come - I feel that we have every reason to face the future optimistically.

Come, Face, Giants, Past, Promise

I start in the middle of a sentence and move both directions at once.

Directions, Jazz, Moving, Music, Sentence, Start

The real risk is not changing. I have to feel that I'm after something. If I make money, fine. But I'd rather be striving. It's the striving, man, it's that I want.

Fine, Man, Men, Real, Risk, Striving

One positive thought produces millions of positive vibrations.

Carpe Diem, Millions, Positive Thoughts, Positive Vibrations, Thought, Vibrations

All of the technique doesn't matter. . . only if the feeling is right.

Feeling, Feelings, Matter, Music, Right, Technique

Invest yourself in everything you do. There's fun in being serious.

Everything, Fun, Guitar, Invest, Music

The reason I play so many sounds, maybe it sounds angry, is because I'm trying so many things at one time, you see? I haven't sorted them out. I have a whole bag of things that I'm trying to work through and get the one essential.

Play, Sorted, Sound, Trying, Work

My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being. . . When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups. . . I want to speak to their souls.

Expression, Free Jazz, Music, See, Spiritual

Don't ever get so big or important that you can not hear and listen to every other person.

Big, Bigs, Important, Listen, Listening, Person

I would like to bring to people something like happiness. I would like to discover a method so that if I want it to rain, it will start right away to rain. If one of my friends is ill, I'd like to play a certain song and he will be cured; when he'd be broke, I'd bring out a different song and immediately he'd receive all the money he needed.

Certain, Friends, Play, Rain, Song

There are so many things to be considered in making music. The whole question of life itself. . . I know that I want to produce beautiful music, music that does things to people that they need.

Beautiful, Doe, Life, People, Produce, Question

I never even thought about whether or not they understand what I'm doing. . . the emotional reaction is all that matters as long as there's some feeling of communication, it isn't necessary that it be understood.

Communication, Emotional, Feeling, Music, Understand

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