"Reading The Horn " copyright 2019 Kristin Fouquet In my childhood, it was customary for my parents to bring my brother and me to the French Market on Sundays to buy our weekly produce. It was on one of these occasions I heard the most amazing music. The song emitted through a radio owned by the man selling Creole tomatoes. I lingered to listen until my mother called for me. When I caught up, I asked about that music. Her reply, “Just jazz.” Despite being native to New Orleans, I wasn’t brought up in a household with jazz. It was up to me to learn the musicians and the songs- from trad jazz onward. Jazz became my favorite music. Ten years ago, at the recommendation of the much-respected Carter Monroe, I read The Horn by John Clellon Holmes. It had such a deep effect on me, I recently decided to pick it up for another read. I’m so glad I did. The Horn is considered the definitive jazz novel, so my humble opinion of it will hardly drive up sales. Yet, after rere