An Analysis Of Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

“Jazz is a complete lifestyle, something that you feel, something that you live.” (Ray Brown). In his short story, “Sonny’s Blues,” James Baldwin tells the story of a young jazz musician, and tries to capture the lifestyle described by jazz bassist Ray Brown. This musician, named Sonny, is a character created from the era that follows characteristics of the artists and songs, making Sonny a believably realistic character.

In one way Sonny was based off the saxophonist John Coltrane. Being released in 1957, around the time of Coltrane’s initial success, “Sonny’s Blues” draws many similarities to the saxophonist. Sonny joins the army following his graduation from High School, Coltrane in a similar way left for military services, but for different reasons. Coltrane enlisted to fight in World War Two, and was stationed in Hawaii with the navy where he began his musical career in the navy band (“John Coltrane”). Many of the musicians from this era were veterans of the second world war, and played in the military bands. In contrast Sonny used the G.I. bill to gain a musical education, and is never said to have played in the military. Though the source of

musical education is not from the same source directly the similarity exists, connecting Sonny to Coltrane, making them similar appearance to the reader.
Another obvious relationship is between Sonny and Charlie “Yardbird” Parker.

When Sonny first talks about being a jazz musician, the conversation between him and his brother comes to talking of jazz musicians and he says, “Bird! Charlie Parker! … He’s just one of the greatest jazz musicians alive” (Baldwin, 106). Bird was a known heroin addict. Bird’s addiction mixed with his celebrity caused some young players to follow him in his use of the drug in an attempt to better their playing (Yanow). Sonny has an admiration for Bird one that was shared with many musicians of the time, this admiration probably caused Sonny to follow other admires of Bird and take to the drug in a hope of bettering his abilities as a musician. Baldwin used this image to add to Sonny’s tragic fall and to created realism in his

character.
Sonny shares similarities to the man portrayed in the lyrics of the song Am I Blue. “It was a morning, long before dawn/ Without a warning I found he was gone/ How could he do it/ Why should he do it/ He never done it before” (Holiday). Sonny was arrested and taken to prison all in one go. His brother found out on his way to work and he had all the questions in the world when it happened. Baldwin’s choice in having Sonny play this song at the end of the story was nod to the similar themes shared between the two works. In another comparison, the use of a jazz standard creates a connection the era the story takes place in , further building the realism of Sonny’s character.