First published 2021
In 1920s Kansas City, young Eddie Durham dreams of making it big as a musician. But as a Black man in the segregated South, his path is blocked at every turn. When a lucky break lands him a gig with a white dance band, Eddie must navigate the treacherous racial politics of the era to prove his talent and make his mark on the burgeoning jazz scene. With his lightning-fast guitar skills and innovative arrangements, Eddie's star begins to rise - but at what cost to his own identity and community? A vivid portrait of an unsung hero's journey to the top.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, african-american, biography-memoir, jazz, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: identity-crisis, overcoming-adversity, underdog
Setting: Kansas City, South
Period: 1920s
255 pages · Paperback · Independently published