Charles (Buddy) Bolden (1876-1931)

The subject of this fictionalized biography, Buddy plays jazz coronet and briefly attains renown in 1905 and 1907, in the Storyville neighborhood of New Orleans, LA. He comes to town one day at age 23, dramatically jumping out of the crowd at intervals to play a few stirring notes as a band passes by in parade. He joins a band that plays at Masonic Hall, Globe, and Jackson Hall, with occasional gigs elsewhere. Buddy also works works as a barber at Joseph's Shaving Parlor from around 8 AM until 4 PM and is usually drunk by noon. Before work he walks to school his two children, daughter Bernadine by Nora, and a son, Charles, Jr., by a woman named Hattie. After work he sleeps with his common-law wife, Nora Bass, and then after dinner goes to play jazz. Between times he compiles a newspaper, The Cricket. Buddy's musical influences include...