East Coast v. West Coast

Back in the early 1950s, New York and Los Angeles had mildly different jazz styles. The West Coast sound tended to be more melodic and contrapuntal. The East Coast's sound was denser and more bluesy. By mid-decade, as the LP became an increasingly profitable format, major New York-based labels such as RCA, Decca, MGM and Bethlehem placed greater emphasi…