Acknowledgments

Prefatory Notes

Introduction

Part I. The California Years

Scene One: On the Road

Scene Two: Spot

Behind The Scenes One: The Giaimos

Scene Three: Eleanor Powell's Shoes

Behind The Scenes Two: The Tiptons

Scene Four: The Eight-Day Clock

Scene Five: Polio

Scene Six: Jail Bait

Scene Seven: TD&L

Scene Eight: Mingus

Scene Nine: Apple Pie, Apple Pie, Apple Pie

Scene Ten: A Little Help from My Friends

Scene Eleven: The Drummer Was Always Late

Scene Twelve: Monty

Scene Thirteen: Jerry

Scene Fourteen: 176 Steps

Behind The Scenes Three: Eugene's Lessons

Scene Fifteen: First Time in Vegas

Scene Sixteen: Followed by Myself in the Moonlight

Scene Seventeen: The IT Club

Scene Eighteen: Thunderbird

Part II. The New York and East Coast Years

Scene Nineteen: 14 Drummers

Scene Twenty: Mount Airy Lodge

Scene Twenty-One: Strollers

Scene Twenty-Two: The Village Stompers

Scene Twenty-Three: Eddie Condon's

Behind The Scenes Four: Pearls to Swine

Scene Twenty-Four: Park Ridge

Scene Twenty-Five: Piano Party

Behind The Scenes Five: Ruby

Scene Twenty-Six: Suburban Housewife

Scene Twenty-Seven: In the Middle of the Brook

Scene Twenty-Eight: Harold's Rogue and Jar

Scene Twenty-Nine: Melba Liston And Company

Scene Thirty: Fazee Cakes

Part III. California Redux

Scene Thirty-One: The Best Kept Secret in Town

Scene Thirty-Two: A Leader at Sixty-Five

Scene Thirty-Three: Pacific Grove

Scene Thirty-Four: Octogenarian

Postscript

Notes

Discography

Inde