Mort Sahl, The Jazzman’s Comedian

Yesterday, October 26th, the world of comedy lost one of its more original and trailblazing members when Mort Sahl passed away. At 94 years old, he had certainly seen a lot, and his acerbic wit and style of comedy was directed not only at daily observations and absurdities but at political figures. From the beginning [...]

Flute Flight // Bobby Jasper & Herbie Mann (Prestige 7124)

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 [...]

In Person At El Matador // Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’65 ( Atlantic SD 8112)

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 [...]

Boss Sounds! // Shelly Manne (Atlantic SD 1469)

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 [...]

The Jazz Crusaders At The Lighthouse // The Jazz Crusaders (Pacific Jazz PJ-57)

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 [...]

Lighthouse At Laguna // Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse All-Stars, Barney Kessel, & Hampton Hawes (Contemporary C3509)

If there's one thing that I and the Raggy Waltz staff love more than Brubeck and Desmond, it's starting blog series. Well, here's another one, inspired by the forced Coronacation we're all on. Here in the United States, at least, we're still under travel restrictions and social distancing regulations. As such, I thought it would [...]