Anna Harwell Celenza

This book is based on historical fact. The characters...Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Irving Townsend, Slim Gaillard, and all the band memebers really did exist. Their interactions with each other are confirmed through letters, memoirs, recordings, photographs, film footage, and newspaper articles. The most reliable description of their relationship is found in David Hajdu's book, Lush Life: A biogrpahy of Billy Strayhorn (North Point Press,...