Morticians and musicians are caretakers of souls; unfortunately, the living often fail to appreciate the grace needed to bear spiritual weight.
At its core, music has the power to inspire listeners to pursue hidden dreams. This may be due to its tone, rhythmic complexity, or its ability to create uniquely immersive, yet blended, journeys (or trips, in hippy terms). Interestingly, such experiences are shared by fans of all types, whether passive, active, or dedicated fans of any genre, especially those whose training extends beyond endless rehearsals for the long-forgotten 2nd-grade showcase.
Composed by industry veteran Art Halperin, Who’s Gonna Take Care of Lucille? blends mythologies with a rich sprinkle of symbolism and a strong touch of Southern culture to add heat. Featuring mixed-race/dual-heritage Jean-Pierre, this work explores a spiritually centered twin flame, mysticism, and a sacred White Buffalo to romanticize the beauty and grace of aging in a society that is increasingly losing appreciation for artistic heritage.
With settings ranging from a bone-scattered cemetery to smoke-filled nightclubs, a penthouse with million-dollar views, and an antiquated tour bus skidding down a dirt-encrusted road, this percussive story about music and its ability to bridge and strengthen connections between cultures, traditions, and spiritual understanding is best described as magically humorous and heartwarming.
An allegorical tale featuring Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and his renowned guitar, Lucille, as supporting characters. If prose were a psychedelic experience, it would playfully reference lyrics, tempo, rhythm, and pitch, and guide listeners through the natural and surreal aspects of grief, death, and dying, as well as humanity's inability to escape, deny, or manipulate fate.
An assumed, fictitious account of the power of manifestation and how deeply it is encoded into familial DNA, this nod to Haitian Voudou, Native American folklore, metaphysics, and the human need to search for purpose will appeal to readers who subscribe to polytheistic perspectives.
An engaging story rich with references to music theory and a modern take on the hero’s journey, this novel celebrates the connection among classical, R&B, and rock ‘n roll genres. A playful elevation of musical movements, patterns, and structures into metaphors and similes, it also secretly honors its power to transmit ancestral messages.
Although it strongly emphasizes the importance of trusting intuitive urges to reclaim personal agency, this may not appeal to readers who would never justify personal power through tarot, numerology, astral projection, or dream interpretation.
Rating: ★★★★★
Thanks for alerting us to this one, C. Elyse. I saw Buddy Guy and B.B. King (and Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, at the end of their touring days). I deeply appreciate this music and these men, and your description of this historical fiction work makes me want to read it.
This is me= reader who subscribes to polytheistic perspectives.