someone mentioned this delightful book by rafi zabor about a month ago and after reading the first couple of pages (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039331863x/002-3377916-5435238?v=glance&n=283155) i got it and kept reading.

has anyone else read it?  i'd be particularly interested in your reactions to his descriptions of gigs from the musician's point of view.  they were truly wonderful!  are they accurate?  i've never read anything quite like it (metaphysics aside).
There are 6 comments, leave a comment.
i've read it.  good writer, obviously a musician too, credible descriptions of the jazz life and performance.  like most modern novels it's much longer than it needs to be.  less is more - good rule for writers and musicians alike.

sid
it's a blues.
i sure agree about the length.  a little critical editing would have been good.  still, a fun read.  i was blown away by the musician's thoughts while playing and the interactions with the other players.  i have so little experience playing with others i wondered if that was a real head space i could look forward too.  sounds like it may be -- now up to me of course.
you will find a sheet for this at www.realbook.us  

bro' (get your kicks)
yep, i came across this book about 5 years ago and really enjoyed it. the length didn't bother me too much, it seemed so in touch with the musician mentality. on the surface the concept of a real bear talking, thinking and trying to make a living amongst humans by playing the saxophone is out there, but the author somehow makes it work! the bear even has a human girlfriend! i interpreted a lot of it as symbolic of how marginalised jazz musicians often feel, and how hard it can be for them to deal with the widespread ignorance, misunderstanding and indifference frequently encountered as part of their daily life. a bit self-indulgent perhaps, but i would recommend it as an entertaining and thought-provoking read.
doc -- nice to see you!  so maybe you can tell me about some of the scenes where the bear is playing and reflecting on what's happening in the music (he hears the band follow him out a bit and thinks "these are smart musicians."  passages like that just blew me away -- it was, i think, the closest i've come to a "vicarious performance."  do you really have time and leasure to think like that while playing?  it seems reasonable but i don't have the experience.
i think that when musicians are operating at the highest level this level of awareness is certainly common. good jazz also depends on the ability to think and react fast, so it is certainly possible, with good musicians who listen to each other well, to develop that kind of awareness. sadly most people's playing experiences don't always match up to this, my own included. when it happens though, it's magic!  

i guess the great masters, at the top of their game, learn to communicate as much as possible in this way and obtain these results consistently..
there is, indeed, so much magic in this sport!
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