Gerry Mulligan

“I was so naive in the beginning.”

“It's a wonderful feeling to be a part of a group that's really swinging.”

“What I look for in a musician is a sense of swing, a sense of humor, and a sense of responsibility.”

“The baritone sax is a very lyrical instrument.”

“The piano's world is a horizontal world. The saxophone's is a vertical world.”

“I'm not a nostalgic person.”

“The thing about jazz is that it's a very personal music.”

“My life is in my music.”

“I'm always looking for a new sound, a new way of playing.”

“I never had any formal training on the saxophone.”

“If you're not failing now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative.”

“I wanted to learn how to write music. That's the reason I took up the saxophone, to be in a big band.”

“I just try to play what I hear in my head.”