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Jazz Fiction

JAZZ FICTION

Last Song for Valentine Part 4-4: My Funny Valentine

Read "Last Song for Valentine Part 4-4: My Funny Valentine" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 The first thing Cory heard when he stumbled into Café Picasso was the familiar voice of his drummer, Pearl, getting into an argument with two other musicians. They were all laughing loudly, but he could tell by the tone that it was also serious. Pearl caught his eyes and exclaimed: “Cory! Just the man I need. Come on over here! These rookies are trying to school me ...

JAZZ FICTION

Last Song for Valentine Part 3-4: Blue in Green

Read "Last Song for Valentine Part 3-4: Blue in Green" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 When Cory came home to his apartment, he could see lights shining in many of the windows. He felt good knowing that he was not the only one awake, and as he walked up the stairs, he heard people pacing, a baby crying and the sound of muffled voices. He could smell garlic and spices and remembered that he was still hungry. Inside his apartment, ...

JAZZ FICTION

Last Song for Valentine Part 2-4: New York is Full of Lonely People

Read "Last Song for Valentine Part 2-4: New York is Full of Lonely People" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 It was late in the evening when Cory left the club. As always, he quickly became exhausted when he left the stage. It was not playing that was difficult. He was comfortable in his own skin on stage and often felt a real connection with the audience. It was a transient feeling and he could not catch everyone, but he played for someone and those who heard ...

JAZZ FICTION

Last Song for Valentine, Part 1-4: Dancing in the Dark

Read "Last Song for Valentine, Part 1-4: Dancing in the Dark" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 It was at the end of the second set when Cory realized that he couldn't play. Nothing had really changed. He looked across the room in Jan's Supper Club and saw the same familiar faces and some new ones too. Valentine wasn't there. She would never be. He had tried to persuade her many times. “Look," he had said, “it's free. I'll write you on the guest ...

JAZZ FICTION

Now's the Time: Part 5-5

Read "Now's the Time: Part 5-5" reviewed by Sean Murphy

Introduction The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race, creativity, addiction and, ultimately, redemption, are explored. With a title taken from the immortal Charlie Parker tune, “Now's The Time" is an extended meditation on the artistic life. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 You ...

JAZZ FICTION

Now's the Time: Part 4-5

Read "Now's the Time: Part 4-5" reviewed by Sean Murphy

Introduction The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race, creativity, addiction and, ultimately, redemption, are explored. With a title taken from the immortal Charlie Parker tune, “Now's The Time" is an extended meditation on the artistic life. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 He ...

JAZZ FICTION

Now's the Time: Part 3-5

Read "Now's the Time: Part 3-5" reviewed by Sean Murphy

Introduction The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race, creativity, addiction and, ultimately, redemption, are explored. With a title taken from the immortal Charlie Parker tune, “Now's The Time" is an extended meditation on the artistic life. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 He ...

JAZZ FICTION

Now's the Time: Part 2-5

Read "Now's the Time: Part 2-5" reviewed by Sean Murphy

Introduction The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race, creativity, addiction and, ultimately, redemption, are explored. With a title taken from the immortal Charlie Parker tune, “Now's The Time" is an extended meditation on the artistic life. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 He ...

JAZZ FICTION

Now's the Time: Part 1-5

Read "Now's the Time: Part 1-5" reviewed by Sean Murphy

Introduction The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race, creativity, addiction and, ultimately, redemption, are explored. With a title taken from the immortal Charlie Parker tune, “Now's The Time" is an extended meditation on the artistic life. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 It ...

JAZZ FICTION

Can't Get Started

Read "Can't Get Started" reviewed by Wayne Wolfson

I had been thinking of home when I died. “Do you want a drink now?" she asked. “A drink-drink?" “Mais oui." The modus operandi of an angel with a mean streak. How had I gotten here? Her place, I had been here once but that was as part of a crowd which became a roving party, stopped only by the first rays of a new day's sun. That ...

JAZZ FICTION

Bop Addict

Read "Bop Addict" reviewed by Wayne Wolfson

She clutched my hand deciding to worry about how to deny having done such a thing later. It was Sabbath's first time leaving Brooklyn and she was nervous. Of course I was all right, I had been until we were well under way and past the point of no return. Passing through customs had been fine as it could have been anyplace crowded by humanity for some kind of holiday sale or concert and did not feel of being somewhere ...

JAZZ FICTION

The Harlequin Years

Read "The Harlequin Years" reviewed by Wayne Wolfson

I had been the third dreamer that she had lived with. Immediately preceding me, a 5'3" guitarist whose long hair was almost equal to his height but thinning, since it was taking him so long to “make it" as an established musician and then his friend, from a well to do family but considered incapable of ever running the family business. He was an art dilettante, plucking away at a bass and working menial jobs between allowance checks. ...