I was spoiled by Monk's music because it was so good, so complete.
Steve Lacy

Circumstances can be very important. Find the right people to work with.
Steve Lacy

Before the work comes to you, you have to invent work.
Steve Lacy

Register is very important. Music sounds best in a certain register.
Steve Lacy

If you have music you want to play that no one asks you to play, you have to go out and find where you can play it. It's called do or die.
Steve Lacy

There is an awful lot of what I call recreational jazz going on, where people go out and learn a particular language or style and become real sharks on somebody else's language.
Steve Lacy

The more original something is, the more of a threat it seems until the people catch up with it. That happened with Thelonious Monk. It happened with anybody who is really original.
Steve Lacy

The soprano has all those other instruments in it. It's got the soprano song voice, flute, violin, clarinet, and tenor elements and can even approach the baritone in intensity.
Steve Lacy