Native State

by Tony Cohan

Native State is memoir set in the 50s and early '60s that follows a young man attempting to escape the confines of his celebrity-filled alcoholic family in Hollywood, who chooses the life of a jazz drummer in bohemian Europe. The author wends his way through Tangier, Paris, Copenhagen and Barcelona as he comes to terms with his self-imposed exile, eventually returning to his ailing father in California. An elegantly crafted and engrossing memoir.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Tony Cohan grew up in Manhattan and Los Angeles, where at the age of fourteen he made his debut as a jazz musician. After attending Stanford and the University of California he spent two years in Europe and North Africa, performing with jazz artists Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell and blind Catalan pianist Tete Monteliu. Returning to San Francisco, he worked briefly at the University of California Press before moving to Kyoto, Japan for two years to teach and write. Back in California, he wrote an unpublished first novel (and a published erotic novel) and worked as a studio musician with Lowell George, Ry Cooder, and others. During the 1970s he designed media campaigns for musical artists including Van Morrison, Pink Floyd, and Prince. In 1975 he founded the long-running independent press Acrobat Books, publishing nonfiction books in the arts. His 1981 novel Canary (Doubleday) was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, his 1984 novel Opium (Simon and Schuster) a Literary Guild selection. His bestselling travel narrative On Mexican Time (Random House, 2001) was followed by an autobiographical memoir, Native State (Random House, 2003), a Los Angeles Times Notable Book of the Year, and a second travel narrative, Mexican Days (Random House, 2007). His collaborations as lyricist with pianist and composer Chick Corea include the jazz classic High Wire. His essays, stories, articles, songs and reviews have appeared in a variety of media worldwide. His most recent novel is Valparaíso.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most well written and interesting memoirs I have read by a contemporary writer.A fascinating , very personal , seemimgly honest descriptive journey of art, longing, music , family and relationships.

[James Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

he’s saving the best for next…

book ends too soon… there are other stories to tell. Distinctive style, will look at some of this other works

[Rick Bavera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Tony Cohan before seeing this book, and deciding to read it.

The title and cover caught my eye.

Interesting life he has had. He is about a half-generation older than I am, and while I remember some of the era he talks about, my experiences were far far different. So, in that sense, I learned a lot about the life of a Californian who became a transient....and how his life had a little in common with mine (the rootlessness), but he actually did have some, more so in many ways than I did.

But his vocation of musician and writer, and entertainment father led him into stuff that doesn't touch my life at all--most especially the drinking and the drugs.

Interesting read.

[Brad Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Not only is/was the author's life fascinating, but his writing ability is first-rate. I was thinking of quoting some of my favorite lines, but I'd be here all day. I picked up this book randomly; now I really want to read his other books.
Only one quibble: Why would anyone SO intelligent pay any attention to a palm reader??