A friend of mine once told me my religion was Jazz. At first I just laughed but as I thought about it more and more I realized he was right. And here is what I came up with............

There are no musical rules. If you so much as perceive what seems like a musical rule you must break it.

The greatest responsibility is to find your sound and your music and create that reality. The only thing one can ever be punished for in the jazz religion is copying something that's been done, and not change it to make it yours.
Every time you play the same old shit the same old way you bring jazz closer to its death. (its on it last leg so PLEASE! (probably past its last leg))

The only way to be musically free is to be a master. don't learn some tricks to play on stage and be told your great. Be great! that's Integrity.

Listen! Listen! Listen! When you wake up in the morning, listen to the sound of the birds chirping, over the wind blowing through the trees, over the noise your refrigerator makes, over the sound of your breathing, over your heart beat. If you live in the city, you can add cars driving by, people's voices, the sound of them walking on top of all that. If you live in the city and they are doing construction outside your window, then good luck to you.

But seriously, if you can hear all that, then your really listening. And notice when you do theres no room or possibility for you to have a thought. Also, if you listen to an artist, while comparing them to another artist, your not listening to them. Your judging them.

Lastly, respect your musical ancestors. they paved the way for you and have shown you everything that's been done to this point. Soak it up all and then forget it. Respectful Irreverence.

If its not your sound, its a lie!

(I am not a jazz master, not even close)