Once upon a time the South Side of Chicago in the vicinity of 63rd and Cottage Grove was the place to be, and I was there at the right place and at the right time.
All the apartments in the 3 story building we lived in had balconies, and they reminded me of paintings I had seen of apartments in Paris. When I reminisce about this time, I have to remind myself that this wasn't a fantasy or a dream, but a time and place that actually existed. Even the weather at that time makes my memory seem like a fantasy; in 56, no one had or needed AC; it was always cool in the mornings and evenings. I liked to walk down to the lake every day for a swim, but some days were too cool, and everyday I had to wait until at least noon before it was warm enough for a swim.
Dinah Washington was a resident of the neighborhood and could be seen casually having cocktails and entertaining friends at the "Pershing Lounge" where Ahmad Jamal was leading the "House Band". You knew when she was there by the brand new Lincoln Continental parked out front, possibly the only one in the big city of Chicago.
https://www.google.com/search?q=56+lincoln+continental&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS858US858&oq=56+lincol...
I was too young to go to the jazz clubs in the vicinity, but in order to partake of the ambiance of the neighborhood, I would borrow one of my cousin's best sport coats, and stroll the Avenue in the evenings, just to mingle with the other well dressed patrons of the nightlife.
Fortunately, for me and a lot of other people, John Wright created some music to let us know that our memories were not fantasies, but memories of real times, "South Side Soul" is the title of this album. This music has a "hip swagger" to it that could be called "The Southside Strut"; I like it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYW9xm0MhN8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy5s_R2Lp6Y
Somehow, in ways I can't explain, John Wright has captured the dramatically different personalities of these streets on the South side of Chicago at that time, and projected them into music; this is the only record we have of a place that existed but is no more.