Sports, jazz and spices

Bandleader-composer Gordon Goodwin has friends in jazzy places, and several of them pop up on “Act Your Age,” Goodwin’s latest album with his 18-piece Big Phat Band.

“I’m a total fanboy when it comes to people like Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, Chick Corea and Patti Austin, and to look on my record and see those names, it’s kind of a surreal thing,” said Goodwin, who lives in Thousand Oaks with wife Lisa and their three kids. “I feel really blessed that I’ve come to the point where I can make those phone calls and they say yes.”

Last week, Goodwin picked up three Grammy nominations, which gives him plenty of momentum heading into his gig Tuesday with the band at the Jazz Bakery. And on Feb. 13, he’ll make his Disney Hall debut, accompanied by Austin.

That sporting life

I’ve always been into the Lakers -- I’ve popped for the season tickets and everything. A Laker game will always lure me out of the studio. I spend a lot of time in Dodger Stadium too. I was a vegetarian for a lot of years, but I never saw how I could get out of the stadium without having a Dodger Dog. That and a Cool-A-Coo and I’m set. Staples cuisine isn’t what I go there for, although I do like the caramel corn.

A pre-tipoff tip

Zucca on Figueroa is a good alternative to Staples for a pre-game dinner. It’s a little dressy; it reminds me of Patina at the Disney Hall. I think it’s owned by the same guys. I’ll order the seafood risotto, which is great.

Bigger is better

For breakfast, I really like Harold’s House of Omelettes. Our first day in town we lucked into that place. The pancakes are an inch thick and the omelettes are as big as your head.

Scouting expedition

It’s important to get out and hear other musicians, because it pumps me up to write my own stuff. We’ll go to the Canyon Club a lot, and we also like the Jazz Bakery and Catalina Bar & Grill. Great local musicians there, and big-name acts come through as well.

The music man

There’s an old-fashioned music store in the Valley called Baxter Northup, and it’s got sheet music, orchestral scores and other good stuff. When I was younger I used to give music lessons there. And I’ll go to West L.A. Music and Guitar Center to check out the synths.

A taste of India

I really got into Indian food when I was in London, and I’d eat it every night if I could. There are three places that we go to a lot: One is Gangadin on Ventura Place in Studio City; they have a way of mixing the curries that combines the sweet and the hot. Another good spot is Salomi Indian & Bangladesh Restaurant in North Hollywood. And the third is Anarbagh in Woodland Hills. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Turning up the heat

I love spicy food, and the Zesta organic pizza with roasted peppers, jalapenos and pepperoni at PizzaSalad is killer. It’s a totally casual, health-food type of place in Thousand Oaks, and I think there are other locations too. It’s not cheap, which I guess is because of the organic ingredients. But it’s worth it.

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mark.sachs@latimes.com