Recommended jazz books (novels, not instructional)

[Litterick]

Toni Morrison’s Jazz is a novel that imitates the music, with characters improvising solos and a call-and-response structure.

[Marinero]

For those among us who read music, "Casals and the Art of Interpretation," by David Blum, conductor, is one of the best books on Music I have ever read. Blum uses specific musical examples from Casals to explain how the use of interpretive elements in music brings life and depth to the music we play. Although Casals was a Classical cellist, this book is not genre specific. ANY musician can benefit from his knowledge and will certainly benefit their playing. Highly recommended to the serious musician.
Play live! . . . Marinero

[docsteve]

Billie Holiday's autobiography is also quite good. Here is the first sentence:

"My parents were still kids when they married. My father was nineteen, my mother was thirteen, and I was three."

A great opening if there ever was one!

[gitman]

RL's Dream by Walter Mosley
Lulu on the Bridge by Paul Auster
My Life in New Orleans by Louis Armstrong
Straight Life - The Story of Art Pepper

there's more ....

[jaco]

Joe Jackson's book was really good. Up to the time he made it "big". Maybe not a jazz artist (whatever that is) but very intelligent musician. The opening chapter of a nightmare gig is worth the price.

[Litterick]

Chan Parker’s My Life in E-Flat? must be worth reading.