"Some people try to get very philosophical and cerebral about what they're trying to say with jazz. You don't need any prologues, you just play"

This quote by Oscar Peterson talks to the essence of jazz music. He is recommending that jazz does not require to be overthought or overanalyzed. It is a kind of music that is indicated to be felt and experienced. Jazz is a type of expression that is suggested to be shared and delighted in without the need for excessive explanation. Peterson is highlighting the value of merely playing the music and permitting it to promote itself. He is suggesting that jazz is a type of communication that does not need to be overcomplicated. Jazz is a kind of music that is meant to be delighted in and experienced in the minute. It is a type of expression that promotes itself and does not require to be overthought or overanalyzed.