San Diego based guitarist Tim Coffman launched his 2012 album Island Breezes in May 2012. A tasty follow up to The Longboard Collection, the 10 track Island Breezes CD is the second release in Tim’s ongoing Cruisin’ Pacific Coast Highways: Instrumental Soundtracks music series. Inspired by the beauty of California’s legendary Pacific Coast Highways, Coffman’s music evokes the classic ‘60s instrumental surf-rock sounds of The Ventures and The Sandals and, in a less direct way, late, great exotica musicians including Les Baxter and Martin Denny—two key American musicians responsible for introducing mainlanders to the sights and sounds of Hawaiian music. One of the most underrated American guitarists recording in 2012, Tim Coffman gets some amazing tones from his vast array of electric guitars. The full bodied tone of “Low Tide” is brilliant, while helping Tim out on some tracks with his lush steel guitar sounds is Greg Sardinha. As he admitted in various interviews, Coffman experiments quite a bit with his guitar sounds to get just that perfect West Coast instro guitar sound, yet when he hits that perfect note, he’s just as effective as West Coast guitar giants like Bob Bogle and John Blakeley. On the 2012 CD release of The Island Breezes Collection, Tim Coffman combines a multitude of guitar tones and sounds and the result is another note perfect album of instrumental guitar excellence. www.RolltopMusic.com


mwe3.com presents an interview with
TIM COFFMAN

mwe3: Following up The Longboard Collection, you released Island Breezes on CD in mid 2012. Both are part of the “Cruisin’ Pacific Coast Highway” series yet Island Breezes is very influenced by Hawaii so how would you compare the two albums?

TC: They are two unique collections of music that share the common theme of the beach and the surfing experience. If you surf or love the ocean you could be happy at a beach in California or Hawaii. It's the same ocean washing up on different strips of sand.

mwe3: When did you first become interested in Hawaiian music and who were some of your big Hawaiian music influences?

TC: I first became interested in Hawaiian music on a trip to the island of Kauai back in the ‘90s. My biggest mentors have been Gordon Freitas and Greg Sardinha, both are Hawaiian musicians that carry on the flame of “Island” music. More on these guys later.

mwe3: What guitars are you using on the new Island Breezes CD?

TC: Taylor and Guild acoustics. Tangi Ukulele. Danelectric Baritone, Gibson 125, Gretsch Duo-Jet, Fender Strat, Ventura big body, Fender tele and others.

mwe3: Who plays with you on the Island Breezes CD and who else was instrumental in the making of the album?

TC: My friend Anthony Da Luz was a big help along with Greg Sardinha and Gordon Freitas. I wrote the songs, engineered the project and play some of the instruments on all the tracks.

mwe3: Can you say something about “Big Island Rodeo”, which is the lead off track on the new Island Breezes album? It almost sounds like a vintage Les Paul track.

TC: That's the first time anyone has made that comparison. We are using two Gretsch guitars and maybe that is the familiar early ‘50s sound that you are hearing. This song gets used a lot for Hulas and is my favorite song on the CD.

mwe3: “Waikiki Two Step” is a great track. How many guitars are on that and is there story behind that track?

TC: This is a interesting story. For many years there was a big cattle business on the Islands. The Hawaiian cowboys known as the Paniolos brought their cowboy lifestyle into Island music and you can hear that influence in some traditional Hawaiian music. There is still an interest in cowboy and country music on the Islands. The title is meant to put the song in a more modern context. We used Strats and Teles. Greg Sardinha plays Hawaiian steel on this track.

mwe3: “Sunset At Waikiki” is brilliant. Who plays with you on that track and what influenced the writing and recording of that track?

TC: I have spent a lot of evenings on Waikiki Beach watching the sunset. This music is what I hear when I watch that sunset. Anthony Da Luz and Greg Sardinha are in the mix with me.

mwe3: What is planned next for you and your Rolltop label as far as new CDs and upcoming productions?

TC: I am just finishing up a "Bond" project, called Fast Cars And Spies. It is the next collection of songs in the “Cruisin' Pacific Coast Highways” series. The songs are really cool and uptempo. I am really excited about this CD. I am always writing and recording original soundtracks for film and video. Other projects are coming, which we will talk about soon.

Thanks to Tim Coffman @ www.RolltopMusic.com

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