This week on "Ira’s Everything Bagel," Ira talks with Chris Entwisle and Mark Havens, longtime friends, designers, and authors of "WAIL: The Visual Language of Prestige Records"—a new book that celebrates the look, feel, and soul of one of jazz’s most influential labels.

Chris and Mark share the story of how their curiosity about Rudy Van Gelder’s legend-ary Hackensack studio led them down a musical rabbit hole—uncovering the artistry behind Prestige Records from 1949 to 1960. Along the way, they tracked down elusive first-edition album covers, connected with people who helped shape the label, and discovered how visual design and music fused into one bold creative movement.

They also reflect on the magic of Prestige founder Bob Weinstock’s informal recording sessions, the artists who designed covers with the same improvisational spirit as the mu-sicians inside, and why the label’s visual identity remains a touchstone for jazz lovers and designers alike.
It’s a conversation that celebrates not just the sound of jazz—but the look of it.

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