MJF's Interview with
CHRIS POTTER

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"The first saxophone player I heard that made me want to play the saxophone was Paul Desmond." - Chris Potter

Artists Who Influenced

Paul Gonsalves
"Paul Gonsalves is a nice, easy going guy from a beautiful family in New Bedford, Rhode Island. His mother is beautiful, his sisters and brothers are beautiful, and all of his children are beautiful. In fact, he is blessed with nothing but beautiful relatives. He had a good musical education, has great solo taste, and plays with profound authority." - Duke Ellington on Paul Gonsalves

Duke Ellington
"You've got to find some way of saying it without saying it." - Duke Ellington

Thelonious Monk
"What you don't play can be more important than what you do." - Thelonious Monk

Stevie Wonder
"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision." - Stevie Wonder

Igor Stravinsky
“Film music should have the same relationship to the film drama that somebody’s piano playing in my living room has on the book I am reading.” - Igor Stravinsky

Charlie Parker
"Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." - Charlie Parker

Miles Davis
"Bebop was about change and evolution. It wasn't about standing still and being safe." - Miles Davis

John Coltrane
"When there's something we think could be better, we must make an effort." - John Coltrane

Wayne Shorter
"What's needed is the experience in dealing outside of the safe zones of life." - Wayne Shorter

Sonny Rollins
"It's all about creation and surprise. It just needs to be appreciated and watered like flowers. You have to water flowers. These peaks will come again." - Sonny Rollins