Harold Battiste has the distinction of having received three of the four lifetime achievement awards OffBeat presents – for music, music business and music education. In May, we published an excerpt from his memoir, Unfinished Blues, in which he recounted his role in the creation of Dr. John.

Tonight, the Historic New Orleans Collection will throw a gala book release party at the Collection and One Eyed Jacks. The first part, “Memories of a New Orleans Music Man,” takes place from 6-8 p.m. at the collection, where there will be a cocktail reception, a performance by the Ellis Marsalis Trio, and a conversation with Battiste and writer Karen Celestan, moderated by Ben Sandmel. Tickets to this Patron Party event are $150 and can be purchased by calling 504-523-4662. Admission includes a signed copy of Unfinished Blues, a CD featuring Battiste’s work, and a ticket to the concert that follows at One Eyed Jacks.

At 9 p.m. sharp, One Eyed Jacks hosts “A Night with Harold Battiste & Friends,” featuring Henry Butler, Clyde Kerr, Jr. and Jesse McBride and the Next Generation. Tickets are $15 at the door, and proceeds benefit the AFO Foundation and the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Louisiana Musicians Biography Series.

Unfinished Blues provides unique insight into the musician’s life as Battiste saw most elements of it throughout his career. He has been a principal artist, a producer, an arranger, a session man, a talent scout, a musical director and a label co-founder. He’s been involved with classic New Orleans R&B, contemporary jazz, Sam Cooke, soundtracks, Phil Spector and Sonny and Cher.

Throughout the book, Battiste subtly tells the story of how easy it is to get lost in the music business (and by extension, life). He documents himself time and again making decisions to put food on the family table – each one  logical – only to discover years later how far he’d drifted in so many ways. As such, Unfinished Blues has a stoic drama that is uncommon in memoirs. It’s not a true tell-all; that mode doesn’t seem to be one that comes easily to Battiste. He doesn’t tell other people’s stories any more than he has to, leaving such revelations to them. He’s frank and honest about things of substance, though, and that’s far more valuable.