"When I first started playing music in 1955, there was just a small body of people that knew it. It was a very esoteric type of thing"

In this quote, artist Steve Lacy reviews his early days of playing music in 1955. He explains how at that time, only a little group of people were familiar with the type of music he was playing. This suggests that the genre of music he was associated with was not widely known or popular at the time. Lacy then goes on to describe it as "esoteric," suggesting it was just understood or appreciated by a choose few. This highlights the niche and exclusive nature of the music scene in which Lacy belonged of. It likewise talks to the concept that true art and creativity typically start as something odd and only gain acknowledgment and gratitude with time.