Donna Lee

"A freedom-seeking American expat encounters an unlikely kindred spirit"

Paris, 1962Inside Bohemia After Dark, patrons squinted through an ashen haze at the nightclub's featured combo. Stained indigo under mood lighting, a quintet of animated ebony carvings whisper-shouted wordless, haunting languages. Cigarette embers winked; wine glasses clinked; heads nodded with...

The Instrument: Making a Living

"For a saxophone player, sex is an important part of music, and music is an important part of sex."

Maybe he was just trying to prove a point, ignoring her tepid pleas and continuing to swirl his tongue around her sloppy pussy.“No more,” she whined, “It’s too much. I can’t….” She trailed off with a sigh, suggesting that maybe...

How High the Moon

"Lynn wonders about the woman in the audience, as she sings How High the Moon."

“How high…” sings Lynn. “How hi-igh… How high the moo-oo-oon!” With echoes of Sarah Vaughan, she stretches the final word beyond its normal constraints, modulating the tone, while her fingers follow a little behind on the piano, finally resolving themselves...

Might As Well Be Swing

"A story of a man's first swingers' party. Special thanks to Ltirashin and RxTales for your help."

Steve called me at three that afternoon. “John,” he said, “Lucy and I are going to a swing party tonight. Would you like to join us?” I’ve always loved the big bands, both the original sound like Duke Ellington and...