Muse-Echo Blues

Like an explosive riff, this homage to jazz and the African-Americans who perform it is as innovative as Be-Bob, Re-Bob , the author's debut novel. Stricken with composer's block, Kat is a 1990s, San Francisco-based pianist who, in an ``insistent vision,'' relives the memories of 1940s jazz hipsters. First, she's transported into the life of Kitty, whose love redeems a saxophone player named Chicago from his addiction to heroin. Then Kat takes up the story of Lena, Chicago's chanteuse (turned prostitute) mother, who exemplifies the price women in the industry pay to succeed. Both women help Kat discover the sources of her problem, namely her ``space-cadet'' lovers and an absentee landlord. These soul sisters teach Kat to let her feelings flow into her music and to search her roots for strength and inspiration. Cartier rises to the challenge of jazz poets in this fusion of classic American music--jazz--and literary imagination. (May)