Pete Kelly’s Blues

Pete Kelly is the jazz cornetist and leader of the Big Seven at the 17 Club. He is principled and determined to protect his band from McCarg’s coercion, even at the risk of their livelihood. His life becomes entangled with Ivy’s, testing his focus between music and romance. He confronts danger with calculated risk rather than surrender.

Al Gannaway is the band’s long-time clarinetist and a loyal ally who leaves after initial pressure but eventually reconciles with Kelly and returns to the group. He provides a steady, if tough, center for the ensemble. His loyalty is tested, but he remains committed to the band’s fate.

Fran McCarg is the crime boss who moves in on the local music scene, pressing for a share of earnings and using intimidation to enforce his grip. He flirts with manipulation, courts his moll Rose, and orders violence to control outcomes. His calculated menace drives much of the plot’s conflict.

Ivy is a wealthy flapper who hosts rowdy parties and seduces Pete, complicating his professional focus with personal desire. She becomes engaged to Pete but later asserts independence, highlighting the glamorous yet precarious world of high-society nightlife. Her presence fuels jealousy, romance, and dramatic turns.

Rose is a once-talented singer who becomes McCarg’s moll, her voice briefly rekindled by pressure even as she spirals into drinking. She endures abuse from McCarg and suffers a brutal fall, illustrating the exploitation of performers in this underworld. Her arc highlights the personal costs of the crime-saturated scene.

Joey is the band’s hot-tempered, drink-soaked drummer, whose volatility foreshadows violence. He is killed in an alley shootout, a pivotal event that galvanizes the rest of the band to resist further threats. His presence underscores the era’s brutal stakes for musicians.

Detective George Tennel is a determined lawman trying to bring McCarg down, often seeking Kelly’s help while balancing risk and obligation. He represents the authorities’ attempt to curb corruption creeping into the music world. Tennel’s persistence highlights the tension between crime and law.