Carla Bley

“The big band is a monster. It's a beautiful monster.”

“I think humor is a very important part of life. And of music.”

“I don't really have a method. I just sit down at the piano and something happens.”

“My life has been totally absorbed by music. It's my religion, my hobby, my life.”

“Arranging is just a way of re-composing.”

“I write music for people who have open ears.”

“I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm just trying to be interesting.”

“Life is a series of suicides, divorces, and periods of relative happiness.”

“I'm not a pianist. I'm a composer who plays the piano.”

“The only reason to write a new piece is because you're not satisfied with the ones you've written before.”

“I just try to write the best music I can. I'm not thinking about the audience, I'm not thinking about the critics, I'm not thinking about anything but the music.”

“I always wanted to be a composer. I didn't want to be a player.”

“You have to have a sense of humor to be a jazz musician.”

“I never wanted to be a star. I just wanted to be a composer.”