First published 1995
Music critic Martin Wells watches the jazz world transform around him as corporate interests reshape the industry he has covered for decades. The small clubs where he discovered new talent close their doors while mega-venues book safe, commercial acts. Record labels merge and drop experimental artists from their rosters. Wells struggles to maintain his integrity as his newspaper pressures him to write lighter pieces that appeal to broader audiences. His relationships with musicians he has championed for years become strained as they adapt to new market realities. Some compromise their artistic vision for commercial success while others refuse to bend and watch their careers fade. Wells must decide whether to evolve with the industry or hold firm to his principles, knowing that either choice carries a personal cost. The story captures one man's battle to preserve authentic artistic expression in a world increasingly driven by profit margins.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: integrity-vs-compromise, personal-cost
237 pages · Hardcover · Poseidon Pr