Holden's career took him from Chicago to the riverboats of the Mississippi and up to Vancouver, British Columbia, before he finally settled in Seattle in 1925. It was in Seattle that he became a cornerstone of the Jackson Street jazz scene, a lively corridor of nightclubs and music venues. A performer of immense endurance, he famously worked double shifts at the Todd Shipyard during World War II and then played piano in clubs at night. As a composer, bandleader, and performer, Holden's influence on the musical identity of the Pacific Northwest is immeasurable.
Oscar Holden knew that the alley cat doesn't rush. The alley cat survives. And if you listen close, you can hear that survival—one slow, deliberate, beautiful strut at a time. alley cat strut oscar holden
When critics first heard it in the late 1920s, they described it as "the sound Seattle made when the lumberjacks came to town." Holden's career took him from Chicago to the
The cultural impact of the song was such that it prompted real-world artistic endeavor. Musician and bandleader Steve Griggs organized a project titled "New Jazz for an Old Hotel," which featured a rendition of this fictional song to bring the story to life. As a composer, bandleader, and performer, Holden's influence