"Alley Cat Strut" is a fictional jazz record by the real-life musician Oscar Holden
, often called the "Patriarch of Seattle Jazz". While Holden was a real and pivotal figure on Seattle’s Jackson Street scene in the early 20th century, the song "Alley Cat Strut" is a fictional creation from Jamie Ford’s novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. The Legend of the Song alley cat strut oscar holden
: His home on Jackson Street became a hub for the local music community, and he raised several generations of musicians, including his son Dave and granddaughter Darelle Holden. The Fictional "Alley Cat Strut" While Oscar Holden was real, the song "Alley Cat Strut" is a literary creation by Jamie Ford. "Alley Cat Strut" is a fictional jazz record
Musical Style: Known for his "powerhouse" piano playing, Holden blended a deep classical background with a stride style reminiscent of Fats Waller. The Fictional "Alley Cat Strut" While Oscar Holden
So, what exactly is the "Alley Cat Strut"? It is not a dance instruction. It is a mood piece.
"The Patriarch of Seattle Jazz": Holden was a pianist and bandleader who moved to Seattle in 1919. He was instrumental in defining the sound of Jackson Street jazz.
He began to build a melody around the feline’s movement. It was a swaggering, syncopated blues—the musical embodiment of a midnight wanderer who owned the city but didn't have a dime in his pocket. The patrons stopped their whispering. The clinking of glasses softened. For three minutes, the room breathed in time with a piano and a cat.