A captivating memoir from one of jazz's most beloved practitioners, a fascinating tour of a life lived in music and a useful guidebook for aspiring artists ever

Winner of 2005 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Winner of 2005 National Medal of Arts Since defecting from Cuba in 1980—and indeed long before t

“A tour de force. . . . Crouch has given us a bone-deep understanding of Parker’s music and the world that produced it. In his pages, Bird still lives.” �

Based on unprecedented research in Cuba, the direct testimony of scores of Cuban musicians, and the author's unique experience as a prominent jazz musician, Cub