Freddie Hubbard Music Quotations

When I got started in New York, if you were different from Miles & Dizzy it was very difficult.

They always want to sell me as a hard bopper.

[Lee Morgan] was the only young cat that scared me when he played. He had so much fire and natural feeling. I had more technique, but he had that feeling. People seemed to like him more than they like me at the beginning.

I used to try to play like [Miles Davis], and Miles caught me copying him one night at Birdland. He said, 'Hey man, why don't you play some of your own stuff.' So, I finally did, because I had copied all his solos.

Dizzy used to tell me I'm playing too hard. He'd say to not give everything. Miles told me that too.

Don't make the mistakes I made of not taking care of myself. Please, keeps your chops cool and don't overblow. If you are going to play hard, be sure to warm up. I'd get carried away trying to stay right with the momentum [of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers]. I used to try and play like Coltrane and solo for 30 or 40 choruses. It all caught up with me.

Jazz isn't like pop, where you sell millions of records with a hit. Your spirit and soul aren't important in pop music. But jazz is like classical music. If people like you, they'll remember you and you'll last forever.

I quite drinking, so I can think clear. When you have chop trouble, drinking doesn't help the healing process.

Man, they gave me a key to the city. Can you imagine going back to Indiana and getting the key to the city? So that made me feel pretty good.

I met up with Art Blakey in 1963, I think. It was right after Lee Morgan left and I played with him for about two and a half years.

That was the biggest thrill, going over to these guy's houses and having them want me to practice with them and they would show me a lot of stuff, which was really advanced stuff to me at my age.

I'm going to Yoshi's. I'm taking a few gigs. I'm playing. I'm not going to play all the time. I'm going to take it easy and take it slow and warm up so I can come back.

Yes, I can play. I can play. I can't play as long as I did and as hard, but I don't think I have to.

I am in discussions with a label. We are talking about doing something.

When I got started in New York, it wasn't like it is now. If you were different from Miles and Dizzy, it was very difficult to make gigs and make money with your own style.

Dizzy used to tell me that I am playing too hard. He used to say to not give everything. Miles used to tell me that too.

I had heard Ornette a couple of times, but I didn't really know where he was coming from until we started the record and it was beautiful, Fred. It opened up my mind.