{"product_id":"9780991381708","title":"The Music Came First","description":"\"I had to leave my little band behind when I was drafted into the Army. Two things happened while I was away: Charlie Parker and marijuana.\"\u003cp\u003eIn 1948, US Army veteran Jack Smalley came to Paris, G.I. Bill money burning a hole in his pocket and the restless energy of bebop playing in his ears. He'd escaped his stifling family and returned to \"where music had been invented,\" determined to discover the secrets of composition. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I'd lived my whole life looking for rules.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom Swiss classrooms to Paris nightclubs, Jack is swept into a world that's often beyond his understanding, conducted in a language he doesn't understand. He befriends prostitutes, hashish dealers, and ten year old conservatory students, eventually working his way up to playing with jazz greats like Django Reinhardt and Don Byas. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Music is the story of emotions.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFull of unexpected adventures and unforgettable characters, The Music Came First is a colorful, intimate memoir of post-war Europe that will leave readers tapping their feet and waiting for the next verse.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John P Smalley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47029849424112,"sku":"9780991381708","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780991381708_p0.jpg?v=1763898949","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780991381708","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}