Jazz

Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker

One of the things I love about Portland -- and I find less to love every year -- is its jazz radio station, KMHD. It's the first thing I turn on when I'm in the car, and I usually stay there, though now and again I won't like the music and switch to the classical station. (I almost never listen to the renowned local community station KBOO which is too new agey for me but I do like its Sat morn bluegrass). KMHD plays a lot, a whole lot, of music from the 1950s west coast "cool" jazz period that I grew up on. So here I am in my 70s, often listening to the same music I listened to in my 20s. Indeed the argument can be made the cool jazz is the greatest common denominator in my life. A rather startling thing to realize.