Haley The Caffeinated Reader
asked
Ray Celestin:
When did you come up with the idea of using jazz parallel to mobsters? You do a brilliant job and I absolutely loved your use of the song structure as the structure of the book! (Musicology graduate here, your books have been my favorite new mysteries/crimes to come out!)
Ray Celestin
Hi Renee,
Sorry for the late reply!
It wasn't something I came up with, I uncovered it while doing research. There's this weird parallel history with the music industry and the mob and Louis Armstrong, in particular.
The 'mafia' first came to prominence in New Orleans, just before jazz was born. Then in 1920s the focus of jazz shifted to Chicago, just when Al Capone and the Chicago outfit was at its height. Then the centre of jazz moved to New York in the 30s/ 40s at the same time the New York mob was in control of the underworld. Then, if you look at Louis' career, he started working in LA and on the west coast just as the Mob was at its height in Vegas and LA in the 50s and 60s.
It's really strange how they went hand in hand through the 20th century.
Prohibition was a big part of it. Back during Prohibition the gangsters controlled the speakeasies and they employed the jazz musicians to play in them. When Prohibition ended, a lot of those gangsters got into the music industry as legit / semi-legit businessmen / record label men / bookers / agents / managers. Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday's manager was a former Capone stooge who used to run a speakeasy for Capone. The guys who started MCA (the largest talent agency in the world for many decades) were former Capone guys, too. All these mob-affiliated guys were huge in the entertainment industry for decades and they only really got ousted in 70s and 80s when Disney and all the other corporations took over the industry.
And here ends the history lesson!
I'm so glad you like the books. And you are officially the only person to ever like any of my blog posts, so thanks for that!
Sorry for the late reply!
It wasn't something I came up with, I uncovered it while doing research. There's this weird parallel history with the music industry and the mob and Louis Armstrong, in particular.
The 'mafia' first came to prominence in New Orleans, just before jazz was born. Then in 1920s the focus of jazz shifted to Chicago, just when Al Capone and the Chicago outfit was at its height. Then the centre of jazz moved to New York in the 30s/ 40s at the same time the New York mob was in control of the underworld. Then, if you look at Louis' career, he started working in LA and on the west coast just as the Mob was at its height in Vegas and LA in the 50s and 60s.
It's really strange how they went hand in hand through the 20th century.
Prohibition was a big part of it. Back during Prohibition the gangsters controlled the speakeasies and they employed the jazz musicians to play in them. When Prohibition ended, a lot of those gangsters got into the music industry as legit / semi-legit businessmen / record label men / bookers / agents / managers. Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday's manager was a former Capone stooge who used to run a speakeasy for Capone. The guys who started MCA (the largest talent agency in the world for many decades) were former Capone guys, too. All these mob-affiliated guys were huge in the entertainment industry for decades and they only really got ousted in 70s and 80s when Disney and all the other corporations took over the industry.
And here ends the history lesson!
I'm so glad you like the books. And you are officially the only person to ever like any of my blog posts, so thanks for that!
More Answered Questions
Lee Salter
asked
Ray Celestin:
Hi Ray, I'm just starting Sunset Swing, having read the first three in the series in about a fortnight!! Absolutely love what you've created with these books. Just a question about your process really. What's the ratio of research time / writing time? Did you have an interest in the Mafia or Jazz before embarking on the series?
Adrian
asked
Ray Celestin:
Hi Ray; Did you spend much time in New Orleans during your research for the series; and, if so, how do you feel it has changed since the era of Louis Armstrong? I love the maps you have put up for the second and third book but it is New Orleans that draws my interest given it's continued notoriety for being a mecca for music lovers.
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