Though New York City-based Gabriel Kahane wasn't raised there, The Ambassador feels like a musical tour of Los Angeles. The album makes 10 stops in the city where the composer and singer-songwriter was born and only came to appreciate later in life, each with a specific address used as the song title.
There's the imaginary post-apocalyptic picnic at "Griffith Park (1800 E. Observatory Ave.)," where, Kahane says, "I have frequently gone up and looked out over that vista, feeling the pulse of the city at night." He also pays tribute to author Raymond Chandler with "Musso and Frank (6667 Hollywood Blvd.)" by setting the song in the steakhouse frequented by both Chandler and the protagonist in The Long Goodbye.
But an audio tour is better heard than read. Take a musical trip to LA with Kahane and NPR's Renee Montagne by clicking the audio link above.
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