Recent article found at The Onion...
Activision Reports Sluggish Sales For Sousaphone Hero
Phil Woods Quote:
"Teaching jazz is like fattening frogs for snakes. I don't teach, but I tell kids at clinics what I'd do if I did teach at a University. I'd put them on a bus and paint the windows black, give them ugly uniforms and 400 pieces of music out of order that need all sorts of doubling (clarinet, oboe, flugelhorn). I'd drive them around campus for 30 hours in circles, going nowhere. Then I'd stop, drop everybody off, put on the plastic uniforms, set up on a dark stage with no sound system or sound man, tune up, call out a number 1479! They'd have to scramble to put their music in order "All right, now put it all away, hang up your uniform, get back on the bus and drive around in circles for another 30 hours." After a few days, I'd ask them, "Now, who wants to make this their life?" You can save people a whole lot of trouble, because this is what the music business is. It's not about the music. The music is easy! It's all that other stuff. To play with young energy is simple, but to sustain a career in music takes a lot of dedication. You may major in Coltrane, but you gotta play Britney Spears on tour for a living."
-- Phil Woods (in Downbeat magazine).
Thanks for sending, Adam.