Bryan and the Haggards
Merles Just Want To Have Fun
It's hard to know exactly what was going through saxophonist Bryan Murray's head when he first conceived of Bryan And The Haggards, an avant-garde jazz ensemble dedicated to playing instrumental covers of tunes by Merle Haggard. Haggard is, of course, the author of such C&W classics as "Okie from Muskogee," "Fightin' Side of Me," "Mama Tried," and other blasts of Bakersfield baroque. Regardless, the Haggards' first two albums were well-received, making Wire's Top Ten list and being lauded in pla…