The Ballad of Black Tom
Novella 27,800 words Recommended by 13 award/anthology sources
In 1924 Harlem, 20-year-old Tommy Tester plays bad jazz and runs minor scams. When an old man offers him $500 to play at his house, he knows there's a catch. It's just not what he expects.
Quasar links out; the story lives on Tor Novella, where the author gets the click.