"In fact, I heard Bird first, and had got well into listening to him. You know, it's the kind of accidental thing that awareness of a player is: what's available, what somebody happens to play for you"

In this quote, Gerry Mulligan assesses his experience of discovering the legendary jazz musician, Charlie "Bird" Parker. He explains that he first heard Parker's music by possibility, and it was not a deliberate decision to seek out his music. Mulligan describes this as an "unintentional thing," highlighting the unpredictable nature of finding brand-new artists and their work. He also acknowledges that his awareness of Parker's talent was shaped by what was available to him and what someone else took place to play for him. This quote speaks with the serendipitous nature of musical discovery and the function that external influences play in forming our musical tastes.