What do you think this quote means?

[Hardbopjazz]

Christian Mcbride said this in the BBC Sonny Rollins special. "To be a great jazz musician you need to learn eveything, and once you learn it, you need to forget it."

[JSngry]

That Christian McBride is trying to quote Charlie Parker without quoting him?

[Hardbopjazz]

Possible. I agree you need to learn as much as you can as a musician but then throw it all out the window doesn't jive with me.

[JSngry]

Bird's quote was (depending on who you hear it from) was either "first you lean the blues, then you learn Rhythm changes, then you forget all that shit and just play" or "first you learn your instrument, then you learn the music, then you forget all that shit and just play", meaning that the ultimate realization is to internalize the knowledge to the point that the expression comes fully and effortlessly. The Tristano thing is all about that too, although they got all psychoanalytic about it. Same goal, though.

Can't but a very few people reach that level, though, especially when what "it" is supposed to "be" increasingly becomes a predetermined outcome. But when it happens, where the music just flows like it's being channeled rather than "played", it's a beautiful thing!