“Don't play the saxophone. Let it play you.”
As quoted in Words of Wisdom (1990) edited by William Safire and Leonard Safir, p. 435
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Charlie Parker 6
American jazz saxophonist and composer 1920–1955Related quotes

Catch Phrases
Source: http://www.baylorfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56404&page=1

“When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all.”

“Nervous means you want to play. Scared means you don't want to play.”
Source: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

On female guitarists, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8EKTGlQp-c, 2016
“If you don't like vampire games, don't play”
Source: Companions of the Night

“Don't play what's there, play what's not there.”
In SPIN (December 1990). p. 30, and in many other sources https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=%22play+anything+on+a+horn%22+miles+davis#hl=en&q=%22don%27t+play+what%27s+there%22+not+davis&tbm=bks, but I can't find the original one.
1990s
Variant: You can't outwit fate by standing on the sidelines placing little side bets about the outcome of life. Either you wade in, risk everything you have to play the game or you don't play at all. And if you can't play, you can't win.
Source: Paradise