Lester Young Quotes

“The trouble with most musicians today is that they are copycats. Of course you have to start out playing like someone else. You have a model, or a teacher, and you learn all that he can show you. But then you start playing for yourself. Show them that you're an individual. And I can count those who are doing that today on the fingers of one hand.”
Lester Young

“Originality's the thing. You can have tone and technique and a lot of other things but without originality you ain't really nowhere. Gotta be original.”
Lester Young

“Due to the uncertainties, and the [new] special education [charges], we decided not to.”
Lester Young