It was a newfound ability that I discovered, to be able to improvise a piece of music from nothing. – Chick

Everything Miles created is part of his great legacy. He is the center of the development of jazz in the second half of the 20th century. – Chick

Compositions – mine or others – are usually jumping off points for improvisation. The music must always be delivered Now. – Chick

I have been experimenting with “mashing together” composers from different eras. For instance, Mozart and Gershwin – – or Scarlatti and Jobim. It’s a constant experiment. – Chick

Perfection is a wrong target for life. I like to cause inspiring effects and help others realize their creative potential. – Chick

Miles brought the best out of his musicians by allowing them and encouraging them to be themselves and create their own way of playing and interpreting music. – Chick

Neither Miles nor any of the musicians ever thought in terms of “genres.” We were just trying things that we thought were creative and would communicate well and that we loved. – Chick

It’s true, my life is rich in musical friendships. Each one is unique and incomparable. – Chick

Music and Art are a kind of antidote to the Darkside of life – so it’s a pleasure to be able to deliver this every time I play. – Chick

Life without an Adventure and something challenging to do is a dull life – or no life at all. I love the challenge of exploring the infinite number of ways to communicate with music. – Dan

“Jazz” is everywhere, and that’s a great thing, because it is truly a universal language, as is all music. – Chick

I believe we can create whatever we want to create if we don’t let ourselves be stopped by the barriers. That’s probably the major challenge and also fun of life. – Chick

The collaborative aspect of making music is the most exciting to me. Working with other like-minded musicians is a joy beyond saying. – Chick

Every moment of life can be innovation. At least that’s the ideal. When life is new, it is really life – Chick

Communication is a huge subject. It’s something that should come very natural but sometimes it doesn’t. It’s an ability that can be enhanced and increased, with practice, in the right direction. – Chick