So great to see LA Weekly shine a light on Eden Ahbez, one of the more intriguing figures in the Exotica pantheon.

Eden Ahbez: protohippie, musician, mystic, Nature Boy. At the Lake Shrine ashram in Pacific Palisades, CA.

If you come across Ahbez’s only solo LP in the wild, Eden’s Island (Del-Fi, 1960), then lucky you. Ahbez composed all the music on it. He sings and plays a wooden flute. Dreamer of “untellable dreams”, he recites his grasp of the elusive in a peaceful, hypnotic cadence. It’s a rare and beautiful record:

Eden Ahbez’s Eden’s Island, 1960.

And since it was the Retro Cocktail Hour that introduced me to Eden Ahbez, it’s only fitting to plug the most recent show, the All Exotica Special. In it you’ll hear Ahbez’s “Full Moon” as well as a zoo-full of tropical animals or people imitating them. If you’re wondering what Exotica is, this program is a great primer:

I love crime jazz, and there’s a wonderful crime jazz special on the Retro Cocktail Hour radio show, hosted by Darrell Brogdon. It includes the “Checkmate” theme by John Williams, a selection from “Twin Peaks” composed by Angelo Badalamenti and “Marlowe’s Theme” from Farewell, My Lovely by the incredible David Shire. Don’t miss the cover gallery.

Album cover for Private Hell 36 (1954)