"Your ears are your conscience. Let them be your guide."

- Monty

Context: Someone asked if they could use an electric tuner when tuning. He said no.

"Cade, I like how you dress and if I were in high school, that's how i'd dress."

- Monty

Context: Cameron and George were making fun of Cade and his Skinny tie.

Me: "Who started Jazz? Like, who was  the first jazz player?"
Monty: "I was. I taught Miles Davis everything he knows."

Context: He was talking about how most people based their jazz on Miles,

"I can't do it cause i'm not a freakin' drummer."

- Monty

Context: He was trying to play a groove for us.

Extra because he said a lot and I want to.

"You question me?" I've never been right— I've never been wrong."

- Monty

Context: I asked him if something he said was true and he responded that he was never right. He corrected  himself.

"I keep thinking if I ignore the belching it will go away."

- Monty

Context: I burp a lot. Especially during band.

"It's really aggressive, like you're punching someone in the face."

- Monty

Context: The trombones weren't playing with good enough articulation.

Bonus Quote Because I Missed Yesterday:

"We're in America. Don't be rushin'."

- Monty

Context: That was a pun. People were rushing while playing.

"It sounds like you are squeezing your butt cheeks and just letting it out."

- Monty

Context: He didn't like the sound of our notes.

"It's like you go to Baskin Robbins and you get free ice cream, but you gotta beg for it. Beg with your instruments."

- Mika Burgos

Context: Trying to encourage the middle school jazz kids to solo.

"I don't have a catchy phrase for 'Check your key signature'. Just check your key signature."

- Monty

Context: Said after some wrong notes were played.

"Improvisation is another way of saying Having fun with."

- Monty

Context: Explaining what Improvisation really is.

"Hold on...I've found it...The perfect tempo."

- Monty

Context: He was starting the Jazz Band at the Halloween concert.

"Say “I gotta say something!” and then say it. With your instrument."

- Monty

Context: Said while trying to encourage kids to solo.

"This is your imagination going wild through a field of flowers."

- Mika Burgos

Context: He was telling the middle school jazz kids about improvisation. 

"No we can't fancy whenever we want! We have to be bland! It's all about the bland!"

- Monty

Context: We were arguing about bow ties and whether they would be worn on normal days.

"WOO! I LOVE YOU, BUT I REALLY LOVE ME!"

- Monty

Context: He told us how not to cheer for other bands.

"Try to emulate your sound, what I do with my face."

- Monty

Context: He was showing the low brass how to play a section. Picture coming soon.

"If I fall off my stool and die, I’m never speaking to any of you ever again."

- Monty

Context: He was standing on his stool to be seen better and almost fell off.

"We are simultaneously flat and sharp. We are flarp."

- Monty

Context: He was tuning the French Horns

My apologies for posting this late. My excuse is Ponies and no school. It completely made me forget about any responsibilities I have. Ponies have a way of doing that.

"The dance party's in my head."

- Monty

Context: He told us to clap like we were at a dance party. Then when we asked why we would be clapping, this was his reason.

We’re gonna open up with “Don’t Ask Me Anymore Questions”, then we’ll play “Shut Your Face”, and we will finish up with… “Bland”.

- Monty

Context: He told us not to ask what we will play for the winter concert anymore. So I asked him what we will play for the concert after that.

"We're gonna play that last note as if it were witches brew. It *laughs* It boils over.

I'm only gonna say bland things from now on."

-Monty

Context: In Jazz Band. He laughed cause he saw me pull out my phone to write it down.

"This is supposed to be a beautiful part, like, everyone's in a foxhole (cause it's a battle) and they look up and the clouds part and there is a rainbow.

And a unicorn flies over the top."

- Monty

Context: Describing the peaceful part of Battaglia in Symphonic Band.

"I think you are all weird and creepy. So don’t touch me. And you can quote me on that."

- Monty

Context: I asked to feel his beard.

 "You are each a separate guitar string, strummed by the harmonies of life."

- Monty

Context: The saxophones in Jazz Band take over the guitar part in a song.

"Speaking of waiting… this next thing has nothing to do with waiting.

I saw a penny on the ground and I thought, is it really worth it to pick up a penny? And then I figured if it takes you 3 seconds to pick up a penny you are making 12 dollars an hour."

- Monty

Context: Random thing he said in Jazz Band this year.

"Wait a second, we can’t define you. Go back and try again."

- Monty

Context: I really have no idea what this was about. I heard him say it on the bus after a pep game.

"It's supposed to be like Royalty and Majesty rolled up into a cake.

I don't know why a cake."

- Monty

Context: Describing to brass players in Symphonic Band last year what a fanfare should be like.

NOTE: FIRST MONTY QUOTE I WROTE DOWN!

"If Elephants can do it, Pants can do it."

- D. Joseph Wilcken

Context: Said while planning Trumpet Pants.

"They will have the hair on the backs of their necks stand up, and a single tear on the corner of their eyes, that falls onto a rose... and it blooms."

- Monty

Context: Describing how the audience would react to a song the Symphonic Band played last year.