Slow blues can get the blood slowing, make a man sit and think. And drink another whiskey while he remembers the woman he left behind and ignores the broad sitting next to him. Fast jazz can get a man up and dancing, thinking thoughts of what a success his future will be, thinking about how he can get his competitors before they get him. Marlowe knew how to play both kinds of jazz, which most jazz players did, and he understood how they worked, which most jazz players did not. Beside that, he knew how to play other kinds of jazz that most musicians didn’t even know existed, but most players had experienced at one time or another. He could play a jazz that would make a man hunger after things lost or never had, a hunger--


Inspiration: "Silver" - Bonobo
Story Potential: Low
Notes: There's nothing particularly wrong with this, it's just not very original. Been done a million different times, a million different ways. Could be a nice side character in a story, though--but not the main feature.

Samedi sat at the crossroads and laughed at her, but she fancied herself a righteous woman with nothing to fear from voodoo devils, so she settled her best church hat square on her head, lifted her chin, and strode out to meet him, a bible in one hand and a pamphlet in the other. "Woman," the Baron said, "why are you here? You are not one of those who comes to me, and you have neither rum nor cigarettes to give me." "Of course I don't," she said firmly, "for they are of the devil. I'm here to talk to you about temperance." Baron Samedi, he reared back in surprise and bellowed a great laugh. "Temperance? Woman, I am the last creature to talk to about temperance!"

Inspiration: Critiquing a quite good Critters story, "The Price of Freedom," about Samedi.
Story Potential: High.
Notes: I do like this. It has the start of a classic folktale setup.