Do you remember what it was? Do you remember the tune, the song, the album, the artist that started you on the path to becoming a jazz fan? What was it about that particular item that made it all make sense? In this post, the first in a series of posts dedicated to the songs [...]
How many posts have I started with "Here at Raggy Waltz HQ..."? I don't know, but add this one to the list. Here at Raggy Waltz headquarters, West Coast Jazz reigns supreme. I dig it and its creators. Which is why yet another Barney Kessel album is being spotlighted. This particular album has been on [...]
It's Sunday, which means West Coast Jazz. Last week, a reader left a comment on a post mentioning (requesting?) Barney Kessel, a guitarist severely associated with all things West Coast. His comment brought on the realization that I haven't really spotlighted him at all in the many years I've run this humble blog, which is [...]
As I write this, Vince Guaraldi's classic album 'Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus' is spinning on the turntable. "Moon River", to be specific. Guaraldi always did dig a good Mancini tune. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Some context is in order. For years now, I've gravitated towards playing that special brand (some would say [...]
Well, jello again. It's ME, Jack Benny. No, but seriously, after a lengthy pause, I'm back, and boy do I have a lot of albums that I'm excited to share with you all. Lots. But before taking that plunge into the sea of the new and exciting, here's an old and familiar album that I've [...]
Here's an album off the beaten trail that I find myself frequently grabbing on Sunday mornings, an album perfect lazy days. Listen closely enough and you can hear the pancakes sizzling on the griddle. Now I'm making myself hungry... Every April and May, I engage in some musical silliness on my humble blog where I [...]
It's been a while, I know. Three whole entire months with nada. I and the entire Raggy Waltz staff apologize for this AWOL, and will attempt to do better going forward. Ok, I feel better now. ANYwho... Today is International Women's Day (or it was when I started writing this), and as such, it gives [...]
Much has happened since I last did something on this here humble blogsite (new job, new state), but what hasn't happened is bossa nova. Considering it's nearly the end of summer, this is all the more egregious. In light of this serious situation, here's a tasty little album of bossa nova from one of the [...]
Driving a few miles north of Hermosa Beach, humming "Appointment In Ghana" as you motor along the Pacific Coast, you find yourself in Los Angeles, the first major city on your jazz journey. Being that this is the capitol of Southern California and its jazz mecca, there's almost too many options to choose from. LA [...]
Leaving Laguna Beach for another beach, you travel almost an hour north towards to Los Angeles to the beach town of Hermosa Beach. Well, it's supposed to be about an hour, but the traffic makes it more like an hour and a half. Pulling into the parking lot of The Lighthouse Cafe, you hear the [...]
It's A Raggy Waltz 