What was the name of Jack Kerouac’s 1958 novel about a jazz musician?

Jack Kerouac’s 1958 novel about a jazz musician is The Subterraneans.

The novel follows Leo Percepied, a writer who becomes involved with Mardou Fox, a woman connected to the underground bohemian and jazz world of San Francisco. The book draws on Kerouac’s experiences among artists, musicians, and writers, while transforming real people and events into fictional forms.

The title refers to an underground social world rather than to a literal underground location. Jazz is central to Kerouac’s style and subject matter, and the novel reflects his interest in translating improvisational rhythms into prose.

Kerouac wrote The Subterraneans quickly in 1953, but the published version appeared in 1958, after On the Road had made him famous. The book was adapted into a 1960 film starring Leslie Caron and George Peppard, although the film differs substantially from the novel.