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Hear the entire session and interview: bit.ly/1sarkqA

Countless musicians have concocted concept albums built around all sorts of subjects, places and artistic influences. But far fewer concept albums can double as tour guide. Enter Gabriel Kahane, the prolific songwriter and composer whose latest work, The Ambassador, draws inspiration from the architecture and culture of Los Angeles. While Kahane was raised on the East Coast and in Northern California, he was born in L.A., and as such, delivers a detailed sense of place in ten songs -- each one representing a different location in the city.

Cleverly, Kahane's songs affix an actual address to their titles: "Black Garden (2673 Dundee Pl.)"; "Empire Liquor Mart (9172 S. Figueroa St.)"; Union Station (800 N. Alameda St.)" and so on. If one were to pinpoint these spots on Google Maps, the record would make for an fascinating soundtrack to that journey, especially as songs hop from one genre to the next -- from complex chamber pop and playful folk to jazz and new classical compositions. The result is an ambitious and deeply personal vision of a city with so much texture to uncover.

Watch Gabriel Kahane perform "Ambassador Hotel (3400 Wilshire Blvd.)" live in the Soundcheck studio.

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