Alley Cat Strut | Oscar Holden

Jamie Ford included Holden in the book to ground the fictional romance in the authentic, vibrant atmosphere of the 1940s Seattle music scene. Can You Listen to It?

Intriguingly, the interaction between the author and reality has come full circle. The Panama Hotel, a key location in the novel where the belongings of Japanese-American families—including the record—are found in the basement, is a real Seattle landmark. In a beautiful piece of meta-fiction, Riley was so moved by the story that she created a physical artwork: a record label for "The Alley Cat Strut"—a tangible piece of art for a song that only exists in the novel's pages. She gifted it to Ford, who in turn signed a first edition of his novel for her, solidifying the bridge between history and the story that it inspired.

As the cat picked its way across the floor with a rhythmic, high-shouldered gait, Oscar watched him. He shifted his tempo, matching the cat’s deliberate, cool-headed pace. alley cat strut oscar holden

"Look at you," Oscar said, his voice a low rumble that blended with the distant hum of a ferry horn. "Strutting around like you pay rent. You got that Count Basie attitude, don't you? Real cool."

Known for his incredible talent, he was a singer, clarinet player, and pianist who could play in venues that often excluded other Black musicians. Jamie Ford included Holden in the book to

“My grandfather said he wrote the tune in 1927 after watching a stray tomcat walk down the alley behind the Pink Elephant Club. The cat was limping—he’d been in a fight—but he still held his head high. My grandpa said, ‘That cat has more dignity than the mayor.’ He hummed the bass line that night and never stopped playing it.”

Holden mentored a young Quincy Jones and a teenage Ray Charles when they lived and played in Seattle during the late 1940s. Why the Legacy Matters The Panama Hotel, a key location in the

Today, jazz pianists in Seattle treat the tune as a rite of passage. To play "Alley Cat Strut" correctly, one does not just need technique; one needs the wisdom to know that life is a midnight alley—and you have to strut through it.

: It physically symbolizes the shared memories and the "fixed" or restored relationship between the two protagonists after years of separation. The Real Oscar Holden