The Blues I'm Playing

The Blues I'm Playing Summary | Section 1 Summary

The story begins by introducing pianist Oceola Jones and Mrs. Dora Ellsworth, who pays for Oceola's small apartment on the Left Bank in Paris and for a grand piano. Mrs. Ellsworth lives in New York City but spends her time visiting the disciples who study their art under her patronage. She is a widow with no children. In addition, she is quite rich, but has lost interest in her own life. Instead, she enjoys sharing her money with artists who create beauty. The line between the art and the artist is very unclear for Mrs. Ellsworth, and she relies on her intuition to guide her selection of protegees. This intuition is not blind to aesthetics, as she had taken no interest in a soprano who, despite her talent, reeked of garlic and had a sallow complexion. Her discrimination was not without regret when the soprano won the hearts of the New York critics.

Mrs. Ellsworth's decision to take Oceola under her wing was unfettered by doubt. The young black woman was recommended by Ormond Hunter, a music critic who had heard Oceola play at a church concert in Harlem. Oceola was a busy young woman, teaching piano, playing for the church choir, and frequently playing for late-night dances and house parties in her Harlem neighborhood. She made enough money on her own and was very reluctant to play for an elderly white lady she didn't know; though eventually she gave in and met with Mr. Hunter and Mrs. Ellsworth in the lady's music room.

Mrs. Ellsworth immediately approached Oceola with numerous personal questions about her background and her family. They had tea while Mrs. Ellsworth conducted the interview, and then Oceola had a chance to play for them. Both the patron and the critic were enormously impressed. Mrs. Ellsworth insisted on providing the young woman with a teacher to further refine her playing and with enough money to provide her time to devote to her music.