Some people go through a mid-life crisis. Not so with Nina Somerville who instead experiences the most momentous revelation ever. Upon entering her mid-forties, Nina decides to take up piano playing again and, to her great surprise, discovers a true passion for jazz improvisation and piano tuning!
"The natural tone of Nicky Gentil's richly anecdotal narrative will delight not only pianists and jazz enthusiasts but anyone who just happens to like pianos in general." - Cadence Info Magazine
A collection of humorous, touching, unputdownable stories set in Paris, The Jazz-Girl, the Piano, and the Dedicated Tuner transports you into a feel-good world of jazz, pianos and the little-known art of piano tuning. An entertaining slice of life, regardless of whether or not you play a musical instrument, this book explores the world of Nina Somerville, an Englishwoman who - while others are going through a mid-life crisis - discovers by complete chance her true calling: jazz improvisation. In a bid to enjoy that passion to the full, she purchases the piano of her dreams - a Steinway baby grand - leading her to make yet another discovery: the intricate mysteries of the fascinating piano tuning profession.
Against the backdrop of the Eiffel tower and the Champs-Élysées, from the quest for the perfect sound to an unexpected chance to perform in public, music takes Nina on a journey which is at times improbable and hilarious, but equally moving, not to mention extremely informative.
Previously published in France, The Jazz-Girl has been greatly received, and has the interesting addition of being musically illustrated on the author's YouTube channel with some characters playing pieces alluded to in the stories.
