Milton Mezz Mezzrow's "biography" of his life in jazz, REALLY THE BLUES is a classic or noir prose that lets one see the neon-late night-wet street reflections on tha pavement of New York's 52nd Street as well as any photograph of those times. I grew up in Chicago in a building where his brother lived. That family was NOTHING LIKE the infamous Mezz, who gave his name to the street name for a joint (marijuana cigarette). The book is mesmerizing--or should I say "Mezzmerizing". The original spelling of the family name was Mezirow and, for some reason, Mezz (the man not the cigarette) changed it by removing the "i".

About 50% (if that much) of the book is possibly even true. Mezz was a mediocre clarinetist at best--but he was there and he was doin' it.

The Signet paperback I've got of this magnificent tome has an introduction by HENRY MILLER ! (That's why I bought it originally.) It originally was put out by Random House in 1946--when I was 5 years old. Mine is a first printing from 1964. It's looking pretty well-read.

Art Thieme