A fascinating look into the new generation of jazz legends,
Contemporary Cat
is a welcome addition to Scarecrow Press's
Studies in Jazz Series
. Living legend Terence Blanchard's life and work are thoroughly examined through interviews with his contemporaries and colleagues, including jazz greats Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, and filmmaker Spike Lee. Magro cleverly ties jazz to the social upheavals of the civil rights movement, to black film, and to southern African-American ideologies. From Blanchard's early influences to his future projects, never has a more detailed and personal portrait been conceived of the man and his genius on stage and in the recording studio. This book will be welcomed by students of music, jazz, and popular culture, and will be a useful addition to African-American studies collections as well.