Articles by Geoff Roach

West Coast Jazz

by Geoff Roach
February 27, 2005

"West Coast Jazz"? is one of those musical terms that causes controversy. Largely dismissed at the time by critics in New York, the musicians, arrangers, composers, producers and labels associated with West Coast Jazz have profoundly influenced the music we listen to today. Start with Miles Davis' The Birth of the Cool. Although released under Miles' name, one could argue this is the work of Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis, and Gil Evans. Important because it shows the emphasis ...

Phil Woods: Groovin' to Marty Paich

by Geoff Roach
February 27, 2005

What a difference 45 years makes. But 45 years don't change a thing. If this sounds like an obvious conflict, you should listen to Phil Woods and the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra play twelve classic arrangements by Marty Paich. Paich is one of the unsung heroes of music as a pianist, composer, and arranger. Phil Woods is one of the top alto sax players in the history of the horn. The combination deserves a listen.

So where do ...

Cool Thoughts on West Coast Jazz

by Geoff Roach
January 3, 2005

"During the last half-century, New York's preeminence in the jazz world has faced a serious challenge only once. For a brief period following World War II, California captured the imagination of jazz fans around the world. “West Coast jazz" suddenly became a catchword, a fad, a new thing." ~ Ted Gioia , Author of West Coast Jazz.With the close of the Second World War, jazz underwent a massive transformation. For musical, cultural, technological and economic reasons, the swing ...