By By Kirby Reed

Acclaimed musical composer and lyricist Ray Jessel kept the audience roaring with laughter as he performed “Songs From the Ridiculous to the Romantic” at the University.

Jessel made his debut in 2002 at the age of 72 after spending most of his professional life as a writer in the music and entertainment industries.

His credits include “Baker Street,” the 1965 Broadway musical about Sherlock Holmes, and four songs for Richard Rodgers’s last show, “I Remember Mama.”

Jessel also wrote songs that were later recorded by Jimmy Durante, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee and Michael Feinstein.

Following a temporary leave from the music business, Jessel found much success as a comedy writer in Hollywood, where he wrote, produced and contributed songs for the television series “Head of the Class.”

He also worked on “The Dean Martin Show,” “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Love Boat.”

The short, jolly man who admits his likeness to Albert Einstein, began his program on Sunday with a performance of “Short-term Memory Loss Blues.”

“I guess I’ll switch it up and play a ballad,” he said in reference to his second song.

He then began to sing “Short-term Memory Loss Blues” again, at which point the audience exploded with laughter.

The outspoken Jessel went on to sing about a ménage-a-trois and not being able to think of anything but sex.

One crowd-pleaser was even titled, “Life Sucks and Then You Die.”

A native of Wales, Jessel joked about his background.

“I’m a Welsh Jew,” he said. “There are five of us.”

Jessel then went on to perform romantic ballads like “Easier Said Than Done” and selections from his Broadway and television career.

At the conclusion of the program, he fielded questions and sold copies of his CD, “Ray Jessel…The First Seventy Years.”

Jessel is currently working on his second album, “Ray Jessel…The Next Seventy Years.”

He resides in Los Angeles with his partner in song and in life, Cynthia Thompson.