Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Acknowledgments xi
4. Prologue: xiii
5. Back to the ’Hood 1
6. The Piano 8
7. Three Visitors 12
8. Mr. Arthur Reginald Riley 16
9. Funerals 20
10. The Reverend Uncle Frank, Lessons on Men, and Finding Jesus 22
11. The Coming of the Cold 27
12. Summer Heat 32
13. Wrong Direction 36
14. The New House 40
15. It’s an Ill Wind That Don’t Blow Somebody Some Good 46
16. Yellow Cab to the Red-Light District 55
17. Junkies and Jazz 63
18. WorldWar II: Let the Good Times Roll 69
19. Just Get On the Greyhound, Girl 77
20. The Evans Exodus 82
21. Jailhouse Blues 89
22. From Hell to Heaven Blues 94
23. Snowbound 98
24. The Song of the Colvinaires 103
25. New Baby Blues 113
26. A Blizzard of Birdshit 119
27. The Colors of Many Changes 122
28. Triumph, Tragedy, Turmoil, and Tenor Players 127
29. A Little Love Song 135
30. Little Mattie, Big Mama, and the Beautiful Miss M 145
31. The Blues and the Buffalo Scuffle 152
32. Escape from Buffalo 176
33. New York City, Ditty-Wah-Ditty 186
34. Fatback 203
35. Bronx Gulag and Agoraphobia 212
36. The Light Shineth in the Darkness 218
37. From Hell to Academia 221
38. Welcome to Wisconsin 232
39. On the Move in Madison 237
40. Movin’ an’ Moanin’, Groovin’ an’ Groanin’ in Madison 247
41. The Way West 266
42. Pipe Dreamin’ in the Valley of Smoke 270
43. A Standing O in San Diego 283
44. Take It 289
45. Beelzebub and the Mad Mexican 295
46. Make a Joyful Noise 299
47. New Mule Kickin’ in Our Stall 302
48. Blues on the Omnibus 305
49. Blow Out at the Belly Up Tavern and the Birth of Three Generations of the Blues 308
50. Mr. Jefferson Comes to Town 311
51. The Birth of the Sweet Baby Blues Band 323
52. Hot Bulbs and Hot Flashes 330
53. Sturm und Drang Blues: Vienne, France 338
54. Shoofly Pie with Shafafa in The Hague 344
55. Chickenshit or Chicken Salad 349
56. How Long 354
57. Effluvia and Euphoria 368
58. From Slavery to the White House 376
59. Tears of Sorrow 379
60. Blues like Jay McShann 386
61. ABC: Around theWorld, Beyond Betrayal, Celebrations 392
62. Livin’ in the Nineties 401
63. Making History in a Small Hotel 408
64. Back to Bina Avenue 411