Count Basie Play Quotations

If you play a tune and a person don't tap their feet, don't play the tune.

I, of course, wanted to play real jazz. When we played pop tunes, and naturally we had to, I wanted those pops to kick! Not loud and fast, understand, but smoothly and with a definite punch.

It's the way you play that makes it . . . Play like you play. Play like you think, and then you got it, if you're going to get it. And whatever you get, that's you, so that's your story.

If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!

I think the band can really swing when it swings easy, when it can just play along like you are cutting butter,

If a guy is gonna to play good bop, he has to have a sort of a bop soul.

Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard.