In Blues for the Babes, Marsalis explored the vast social and political changes brought on by 21st century life.

With its follow-up The Velvet Bazaar, he explores how sex and love have been radically altered by the dominance of digital culture.

Set in Detroit and divided into forty sonnets, this erotic collection chronicles the life and death of a modern romance in all of its passions and pains, taking us on a journey through the jaded eyes of generations more comfortable with revealing themselves online than in real life.