"Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker seemed so sophisticated and bad. I wanted to be like that"

Carla Bley's quote talks to the appreciation she had for Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker. She was drawn to their sophistication and "badness," and wanted to imitate them. This quote reflects the power of music and how it can inspire individuals to be their finest selves. It likewise talks to the impact of jazz music in the 1950s, and how it was seen as a symbol of coolness and disobedience. Bley's admiration for Mulligan and Baker is a testimony to their talent and the impact they had on the jazz scene. It likewise speaks to the power of music to bring people together and to inspire them to be their finest selves. Bley's quote is a tip of the significance of music in our lives and how it can form our identities.