Alley Cat Strut Oscar Holden Info

In the novel, Holden performs and later records "Alley Cat Strut" after meeting the young protagonists, Henry (Chinese-American) and Keiko (Japanese-American), in an alley behind the Black Elks Club.

was a very real and influential figure in Seattle’s jazz history. alley cat strut oscar holden

The is built on three distinct pillars:

The next time you find yourself walking home late at night, when the streetlights flicker and the only sound is your own footsteps, listen closely. In the echo between the buildings, you might just hear the ghost of Oscar Holden’s left hand walking up and down the keys. In the novel, Holden performs and later records

People said Oscar was an enigma because he refused ostentation. He turned down commercial jingles and celebrity guest spots that would have doubled his income. He said no to a glossy label contract that wanted to smooth his rough edges; he preferred the honest crackle of a crate on wood. The city’s preservation board once offered him a lifetime stipend to play at the refurbished opera house if he’d switch to a more “refined” repertoire. He played one night, then returned to the alleys. “My music,” he told them, “needs room to breathe and alleys to tell it where to go.” In the echo between the buildings, you might

While many attribute the easy-rolling, late-night piano vibes of this piece to modern noir soundtracks, the true architect of this classic is a nearly forgotten giant of West Coast jazz: .

Oscar tore off another piece. "Used to be a song, back in the day. Fats Waller style. Bouncy, happy. But out here? The strut is different." Oscar tapped his foot against the cobblestones, a syncopated beat— tap-tap... drag... tap . "It’s a slow drag. You got to move slow so you don't slip. You got to watch the shadows."