In the early part of the century jazz stretched to cities like Chicago where it evolved in harmony with the Windy City's character, singling out instruments more, such as the saxophone. In New Orleans, jazz remained collective, yet allowed for individuality. It's apt then that Skinner begins his great jazz performance with a collection of characters, each a distinct set of notes, warming up slowly, growing more complex with each measure. He plays each character's riff for three, four, five pages at a time. The pace meanders, is tentative.
Skinner teases the audience.
Characters make impromptu decisions, improvise, fascinate. Skinner seduces his audience into subliminal swaying to a subtle rhythm. With every scene, Skinner writes characters' lives and the atmosphere of 1930s New Orleans in clear, sharp, often haunting, sometimes plaintive tones. Not so easy. Describing the plot of a formula mystery novel is easy.