West Coast jazz

American  

noun

1. cool jazz.

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West Coast jazz British  

noun

1. a type of cool jazz displaying a soft intimate sound, regular rhythms, and a tendency to incorporate academic classical devices into jazz, such as fugue

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Etymology

Origin of West Coast jazz

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

West Coast jazz

In turn, Mr. Wissert enlisted keyboardist-arranger David Paich, whose father, Marty Paich, was a legendary West Coast jazz pianist and arranger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

Inspired by the West Coast jazz of Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan and others, Mr. Lyra brought a relaxed sophistication to his work, as well as an exacting standard for musical precision.

From New York Times ● Dec. 23, 2023

Few places hold as much importance in Los Angeles’ black history as Central Avenue, the birthplace of the West Coast jazz scene and a magnet for those leaving the South seeking a better life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2023

Sheldon was a prominent part of the vibrant West Coast jazz movement in the 1950s alongside fellow artists Art Pepper, Stan Kenton and Shorty Rogers.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 31, 2019

Howard Rumsey, a bass player who turned a down-at-the-heels sailors’ hangout in Hermosa Beach, Calif., into ground zero for West Coast jazz, died July 15 in Newport Beach, Calif. He was 97.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 27, 2015