Very occasional quote of the day: you have to be there to play every night

“You have to work with the people for a while. I was talking to Jo Jones one day. He commented something like, 'It's very important how a person develops his own musical personality.' He says, 'First, you have to be in a situation for a few years, the same musical setting, so that you can develop your character. Much the same as an actor in a play. If somebody gives you a script and you take a character and develop it, that character becomes you with the way you deal with that character.' 

Well, Jo Jones was explaining why today there might not be as much individuality among players as there was when he was coming up. You could always tell, 'Oh, that's Sidney Catlett' or 'That's Krupa' or 'That's Jo Jones' or 'This is O'Neil Spencer.' You could hear it right away and know that's this person. 

Well, Jo said these people had an opportunity to work in one situation for a time so they could develop their own musical character within that situation. When they left there, then they had established their musical character so when they played the first few notes, you knew who it was.

Some of the people today can do that because of developing that way. I notice most of the people who have an easily identifiable musical character are those who are with steady groups and they travel around.

You have to be there to play every night and deal with your instrument, and with yourself in a situation that allows you a chance to experiment and add and discard, and add and discard, until finally you come up with something.”

- Max Roach, 1982 Modern Drummer interview by Scott K. Fish