Quotables
In her own words: musings and insights from Emily,
about playing, about learning, about life.
A collection of her best, in both written and audio form.
from Masters Of Jazz Guitar, photographer unknown
When the rhythm section is floating, I’ll float too, and I’ll get a wonderful feeling in my stomach. If the rhythm section is really swinging, it’s such a great feeling, you just want to laugh.
~Book: Thinking In Jazz~
That’s where all the fun is..
screenshot from JazzMasters Guitar Series
Actually, I think of myself more as a composer than as a guitarist. I want to be a composer more than anything else.
~Songbook: Compositions 1981~
On Composing:
photographer unknown
I may look like a nice jewish girl from New Jersey, but inside I’m a 50-year-old, heavyset black man with a big thumb, like Wes Montgomery.
~People Mag. 1982~
Express Yourself
photo by Paul Natkin
I emphasize to my students, rhythm is the most important thing. It must swing. You can play a million notes and you can play a million chords, but unless it’s in the groove, unless it feels good, it’s not gonna make it.
~Bebop & Swing~
What it should be..
photo by Brian McMillen
Make sure you’re in the pocket, and you’ll feel it. And when it starts to swing, you get a good feeling in your stomach. It should swing, it should be loose, you should be dancing when you’re playing, it’s got to feel good, guys! It’s not so serious, just have a good time.
~Bebop & Swing~
In The Pocket: how it should sound!
When I sit down, the way I practice, I play along with my tape recorder and go out into Trance Land. No heavy scales, no heavy patterns, I’ll make up melodies, I’ll play licks, I’ll just play music… play along with the metronome. The metronome is perfection. Of course none of us are going to reach perfection, but you can get pretty damn near close.
~Bebop & Swing~
Why she developed the question/answer style of playing
Enduring Wisdom
Her Thoughts On Music
What She Stresses in learning
Life Without Guitar
Interviews
A charming conversation with Emily on CJSB Ottawa radio’s Guitar Corner from 1983.
Short interview taken from the same time as her performance with Barbara Dennerlein while touring in Germany in 1986. This interview was actually a television broadcast and can be viewed on the Em-Cast page or Youtube.
Question and answer session with students while giving a clinic at North Texas University in 1986. Lovely exchanges as Emily explains why music makes her laugh. It’s easy to feel her joy for music and passion for sharing her experiences in this academic setting.
An engaging interview by Jazz’s own Ben Sidran with Emily and Larry Coryell from the incredible collection of interviews offered on his Talking Jazz series, a 24 CD set with some of the greatest Jazz musicians ever, past or present. See the Songbooks/Videos page for more info and where to buy.
