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Charlie Burns: A Black & Blue Life

by Ned Brundage

62 pages; black coil; catalogue #01-0356; ISBN 1-55212-954-3; US$18.00, C$21.95, EUR15.50, £11.00

This novella tells the story of a young black musician growing up in the United States to become a famous jazz player.

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About the book      About the author      Sample excerpt      Catalogue info

About the Book Charlie Burns - A Black and Blue Life has everything the reader could possibly wish for - passion, love, sex, gore, war, and much more. It is about the life lived by a black boy who as a man became a famous jazz musician and band leader. He battled prejudice throughout his life to claim a total victory in the end by creating an establishment dedicated to making jazz music available to people of all ages and colors. Charlie Burns with his Black and Blue life in unforgettable.

About the Author Ned Brundage was born in Pasedena, California on March 10, 1919. His first musical instrument was the violin at age six and he has been in music and entertainment part-time or full-time for most of his life. He has been employed in everything one can imagine during his many years. When asked haw he came to write the Charlie Burns book, he replies,, "Some strange something in me insisted that the thing HAD to be written. Ned puts himself in agreement with Studs Terkel who said, "I happen to be agnostic, which, by definition is a cowardly atheist." A reading of the short Preface in the book provides much information about the author.

Sample Excerpt

This is a work of fiction based on autobiographical experiences. I have attempted to put as many actual experiences as possible into this account without causing embarrassment to those involved. My indebtedness to many people will be found as follows in the Preface.

PREFACE

In the beginning there was Pepper Street. My introduction to it was because of my friendship with Jackie Robinson. His family welcomed me there many times.
My interest in jazz music is portrayed in the account by Jesse Smith who was actually me and my experiences.
Charlie was a real person who did play magnificenrt piano. he was taller than depicted and lighter in color.
Lucy was an invention of my mind. I fell madly in love with her.
The incident with Charlie and the white drummer and wife actually happened. I was the white drummer.
The happenings at Lake Arrowhead were in fluenced by my work in a band at a private club away from the lake.
Goats grazing on hillsides was based on my friendship with a Mexican-American piano player who did live on the side of a hill and really did milk goats to make cheese.
Unfortunatly my chronic seasickness caused my depiction of such happenings.
I arrived at Pearl Harbor on the converted matson liner, Monterey four days after the "Day of Infamy" and worked all around Oahu.
I did become a radio operator from the training depicted.
The arrival at Rockhampton and Fats Waller's death and the train trips were real experiences.
I suffered through many cargo net debacles.
If I had a nickel for every G.I. mile I've had to walk, I would be very wealthy.
Goodenough Island was not as bad an experience as I've recorded.
Our landing on the beach at Hollandia was as exposive as the account.
The unknown islands we stopped at are just as "unknown" to me today as they were then.
I am indebted to so many people that an accurate listing is impossible. They are here in the order thata my mind remembers them having not much to do with the order of importance.
My oldest daughter, Judy Duer
My three younger daughters, Nedene, Melinda and sandra.
My son, Randolf.
My first wife Kay.
My child-bearing wife Eloise.
All my musician friends.
All my army buddies.
All my illegal sex partners.
All others my mind refuses to remember.
and especially FATS WALLER.

Catalogue Information