Wynton Marsalis's Quotes

I believed in studying just because I knew education was a privilege. It was the discipline of study, to get into the habit of doing something that you don't want to do.

I believe in professionalism, but playing is not like a job. You have to be grateful to have the opportunity to play.

People have taken time out of their day and spent their money to come sit down at a concert. And it's jazz music-it's not easy for them to get to it. I don't want them ever to feel that I'm taking their presence lightly.

Don't settle for style. Succeed in substance.

We always hear about the rights of democracy, but the major responsibility of it is participation.

Trumpet players see each other, and it's like we're getting ready to square off or get into a fight or something.

Many a revolution started with the actions of a few. Only 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. A few hanging together can lead a nation to change.

It was Dr. King's tireless activism that fostered our modern way of relating to one another.

Only a few act - the rest of us reap the benefits of their risk.

There are forces all around you who wish to exploit division, rob you of your freedom, and tell you what to think. But young folks can rekindle the weary spirit of a slumbering nation.

I didn't want to get that ring around my lips from practicing the trumpet, because I thought the girls wouldn't like me. So I never practiced.

The nerves are a problem on trumpet, because when you mess up everyone can hear it. Just remember most people are too polite to say anything about it. That should calm your nerves.

The young very seldom lead anything in our country today. It's been quite some time since a younger generation pushed an older one to a higher standard.

Even in these times, there are still neighbors that will turn their backs on neighbors.

I wanted to make somebody feel like Coltrane made me feel, listening to it.

You need a team. You need people to push you. You need opponents.

Don't wish for someone else to do later what you can do now.

I dress up a certain way because I respect the music.

I got my first trumpet when I was six years old, from Al Hirt. My father was playing in Al Hirt's band at that time.

I sounded like myself. People be saying I sound like Miles or Clifford Brown.

Jazz is not the kind of music you are going to learn to play in three or four years or that you can just get because you have some talent for music.

Maybe the preoccupation with technological progress has overshadowed our concern with human progress.

My older brother and myself always played together in bands, but we never knew we would be professional musicians.

Thank the good Lord for a job.

The trick to acting is not to show off, it's to think the thoughts of the character.

My business is not to show anybody anything; my job is just to do it.

I consciously decided not to be a 'London' actor. Those gangster movies made a lot of East End actors think they were movie stars. And I was very aware that they were going to go out of fashion.

I have friends who are leading men, and they're only ever allowed to play leading men of a certain type. But as a character actor, there's a wider variety of projects available. On the big Hollywood films, all they care about is having their lead in place, so it's actually easier for someone like me to slip in. And I'm happy to do so.

I went swimming the other day and my wife was watching and she said, 'You know, it's funny, it's when you've got no clothes on, no one recognizes you.' I said, 'What are you saying? That I should do more love scenes?'

There's no great mystery to acting. It's a very simple thing to do but you have to work hard at it. It's about asking questions and using your imagination.

What I love about the East End is that there's a great perseverance, determination and courage. What I dislike about it is that there is sometimes a celebration of ignorance.

When you're the youngest and the only boy, you get spoilt but you get told you're spoilt so you don't get to enjoy it very much. I was the only man in the house because my parents divorced and my dad moved away when I was 13.