The streets of New Orleans were bustling with music, and a young clarinet player landed a job in the red-light district. Check out the fantastic story in Deep Cuts #1 by Image Comics!

DEEP CUTS #1 (OF 6)

Writer: Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark
Artist: Danilo Beyruth
Colorist: Igor Monti
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: April 26th, 2023 

Previously in Deep Cuts: Check out the miniseries exploring jazz’s struggles, joys, and history!

A ROUGH START

Deep Cuts #1 starts with Charles Stewart wandering the streets of New Orleans to see his musical hero, trumpet player Jack Carter. Being young, he was rejected by the bouncer outside. He instead plays his clarinet through an open window and gets everyone’s attention. Jack Carter then offers him a job. He is to help him in his parades and play with him at a brothel. He then takes the name Ace, meets the pianist named Professor, and plays for tips. Jack leaves the job early and leaves Ace out to fend for himself.

Charles has a falling out with his family and tries to figure out things by himself. He meets with the Professor and other people at the brothel and realizes that the Professor played with Charles’ father. He also learns that Jack Carter was supposed to be paying him. When Jack invites Ace to play a gig, Ace confronts him about the stolen money and decides not to play the show. Since Jack stole the show from Johnny Two-Fingers, he finds himself surrounded by Johnny’s men, who break his fingers. Johnny then invites Ace to play a show with him, showing that honesty is one of the few things you can control in the world.

HONESTY IN THE BEST PLACES

I studied music in college. I even received a whole Bachelor of Music degree. And I’ve learned that music can come from anywhere. The story of Ace is one that I have seen in my historical studies. Just a kid trying to learn to play and eventually has the right situation to do great things. Deep Cuts #1 provides a unique insight into Jazz history. The gritty beginnings where the improv affected people’s lives if they stopped to listen. I remember playing in a New Year’s Eve house party when I was eighteen. I was hired to play in the brass section for Earth, Wind and Fire, and other funk charts. I also remember the response from people hearing that I played at a party riddled with alcohol and drugs in the middle of Los Angeles. But I just wanted to play. Ace explored similar thoughts and themes.

But back on topic, Ace has a typical musical journey, and I am impressed with the accuracy of the writing while still creating a story that engages the reader. It is hard to mimic musical experiences in a comic book since it doesn’t come with an accompaniment CD. But we captured the players’ excitement through the art and joy from the audience. Great work here from the creative team.

BOTTOM LINE: GREAT READ

Deep Cuts #1 had a profound impact on me. It is a well-written story and shows us a bit of American history that some people ignore but has led to the pop stars we see today. And I think I have a bit of bias due to my past experiences, but this is truly an enjoyable experience to read. Deep Cuts #1 is a 5 out of 5 stars, and I can’t wait for the whole series.

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Deep Cuts #1

100%

100%

Great Read

Deep Cuts #1 is a fantastic experience as the creative team dwells deep into the history of Jazz music.

• Writing

  10
• Art

  10
• Coloring

  10
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