Philip Elwood
Philip 'Phil' Elwood was born on March 19, 1926 in Berkeley, where his father was a professor of agriculture at the University of California.
As a teenager, Phil was introduced to jazz by photographer Dorothea Lange, prompting a lifelong love of the genre and inspiring him to build a large jazz record collection.
Elwood's love of jazz led to a career in radio and print journalism. From 1952-1996, he hosted a weekly series, Jazz Archives, on Berkeley's KPFA, making him one of the first jazz broadcasters in FM radio.
His work in radio celebrated the resurgence of interest in early jazz and documented what became known as the 'San Francisco Style.'
1965 while working at KPFA, Elwood joined the San Francisco Examiner as an entertainment critic, where he covered jazz, rock, blues, comedy, and cabaret shows in the Bay Area. After 2000, he continued his newspaper career at the San Francisco Chronicle. Following retirement
Phil passed away in 2006.
(Photo: Philip broadcasting on KPFA in 1959, playing Miles Davis)
73 articles
List of articles in the library by artist
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 18 April 1969
The Band — Too Little, Too Late ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 25 April 1970
Miles Davis Stirs Up New Sounds ...
Chet Baker: The Chet Baker Quintet: Smokin' (Prestige 7449)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 4 June 1966
Baker Rides High On Flugelhorn ...
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Capitol SMAS 2653)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 3 June 1967
Last Respects to Beatles In an Album That Turns on ...
The Beatles: The Beatles (Apple)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 19 November 1968
Beatles' Latest-in a Plain Wrapper ...
The Beatles: Candlestick Park, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 30 August 1966
Beatles Strike Out at Ball Park ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 4 October 1965
Rock-and-Roll Party Bedlam ...
The Bee Gees: Disco: They said the same things about the Tango
Comment by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 7 April 1978
"These new dances never lost their original reason for being — passion!" "If couples dancing these new steps could see themselves, especially from the rear, they ...
Profile and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 29 September 1978
CHET HELMS was the great visionary of the innocent early days of San Francisco's rock music and hippie scene. ...
Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 20 May 1968
SIXTEEN HOURS of the same thing gets to be an enervating experience even if one is a super-rock fan and many of the nation's outstanding ...
Elvin Bishop, The Doors, Lonnie Mack: The Doors, Lonnie Mack, Elvin Bishop: Cow Palace, Daly City SF
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 26 July 1969
Morrison Closes Doors on Fans ...
Bobby Bland, Maxayn: Bobby "Blue" Bland, Paulette Parker: Basin Street West, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 3 December 1969
Bobby 'Blue' Bland Is Right On ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 2 March 1968
"Rock and Roll '68" — Good Panorama of the Pop Scene ...
Cab Calloway: Of Minnie the Moocher and a Cab with ciass
Profile and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 6 September 1976
CAB CALLOWAY, sharp, nimble, full of stories and laughs, moved through the noontime crowd at the Washington Square Bar and Grill and onto the sundrenched ...
Cold Blood: Cold Blood (San Francisco Records)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 24 December 1969
THE FIRST issue of San Francisco records, produced for the Fillmore Corporation by David Rubinson, is a recorded introduction to the soul-rock band, Cold Blood. ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 14 November 1969
In Style and Skill CSN&Y Riding High ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 5 October 1968
Cream's Farewell Had Beautiful Support ...
John Coltrane, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner: The John Coltrane Quartet: Jazz Workshop, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 15 September 1965
Coltrane, Jones Explode Together ...
Commander Cody: Cody's Airmen On the Way Up
Profile and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 15 December 1969
THE NATIONAL pop music compass needle has been pointing toward Nashville for over a year and now it is digging into the past of country-and-western ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 23 August 1971
An Exciting Show by the Jackson 5 ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 11 January 1969
Impressive New Rock Group ...
Cream, Big Black: Winterland, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 1 March 1968
Cream Whips Up a Storm ...
Bing Crosby: A legend takes up where he left off
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 11 August 1977
IT USED to be said that Bing Crosby's was the best-known voice in the world, and that his films and wartime appearances in the 1940s ...
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 16 March 1970
Compatible Pair of LPs By Sebastian and CSN&Y ...
Charlie Daniels Band: Rural electrification hits S.F.
Report and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 23 December 1974
BIG CHARLIE Daniels brought his roaring good Tennessee mountain-rock 'n' roll band through Winterland over the weekend. ...
Miles Davis, Grateful Dead: Grateful Dead, Miles Davis: Fillmore West, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 10 April 1970
Miles' Marvelous Montage ...
George Duke, The Third Wave: The Third Wave, George Duke: Trident, Sausalito CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 12 December 1968
5 Little Girls And Mr. Duke ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 10 July 1968
Lots of Room at Fillmore West ...
Duke Ellington: Harry Carney, an appreciation: A great sax man
Obituary by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 12 October 1974
JAZZ SAXOPHONIST Harry Carney died at age 64 a few days ago in New York City. ...
John Fahey, Jesse Fuller, Peter Grant: Giannini School, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 8 November 1969
Strange and Memorable Triple-Bill Folk Concert ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 18 August 1966
Some Real Flying In the Fillmore ...
Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs: Flatt & Scruggs: hungry i, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 2 July 1968
Fine Flatt-Scruggs Sextet ...
Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders: Dead Leader Who Is Very Much Alive
Report and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 11 January 1971
JERRY GARCIA is the principal power plant and instrumental, as well as inspirational, leader of San Francisco's oldest continuing rock band, the Grateful Dead. ...
Judy Garland: Circle Star Theater, San Carlos CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 2 September 1965
Judy's Electric, but Searching Evening ...
Crystal Gayle: She's more than a little sister
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 17 September 1977
OVER THE last few years, as her own star has been rising high over the country music scene, singer Crystal Gayle has learned to live ...
Grateful Dead: The Grateful Dead: Live/Dead (Warner Bros. 1830)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 24 December 1969
The Dead Show New Life on Latest Album ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 21 December 1966
Otis Redding — Rhythm and Blues Tidal Wave ...
Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones: Still Hope for the Stones
Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 3 December 1969
THE ROLLING Stones are still hoping to perform in a gigantic free show in the San Francisco area on Saturday afternoon. ...
John Handy: Jazzman's new direction
Profile by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 15 September 1976
"HARD WORK," that's what John Handy and his band chanted... Handy blew on the alto sax, the audience at Keystone Korner clapped along in a ...
It's a Beautiful Day: New New Sounds
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 30 June 1968
BRIGHTEST AND most compelling of the newer local modern music groups, and certainly the one with the most intriguing sounds and name is violinist David ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 24 May 1968
A Wide Range of New Sounds at the Fillmore ...
The Jackson 5: The J5½ at work and play
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 22 May 1974
THE JACKSON Five are reaching out, consciously trying to relate their music to an older crowd. ...
Jethro Tull, MC5: Fillmore West, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 21 November 1969
Good Music and Giggling Foolishness ...
Obituary by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 6 December 1977
BLIND JAZZ multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk died of a stroke early Monday morning after finishing a performance at an Indianapolis club. He was 41. ...
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Roland Kirk's Expanding World
Profile and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 12 September 1968
MUCH OF Roland Kirk's life has been a dogmatic and frustrating crusade to make his listeners realize that the reason he plays two or three ...
Led Zeppelin: Community Theater, Berkeley CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 15 September 1971
Musical Joke — But Fans Love Led Zeppelin ...
Ramsey Lewis Trio: Basin Street West, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 October 1965
'In-Crowd' Leader Arrives ...
Curtis Mayfield: Harding Theater, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 22 February 1971
Curtis Mayfield Warms The Harding Theater ...
The Monkees: Cow Palace, Daly City CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 23 January 1967
A Gleeful Time With the Monkees Spoofing, Chatter Thrill Youngsters ...
Donny Osmond, The Osmonds: In the busy world of Donny Osmond
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 2 November 1977
"YOU'RE GOING to phone Donny Osmond?" A couple of my jazzfan friends stared in disbelief. It was as if I had announced that Duke Ellington ...
Buck Owens: Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 11 March 1968
Exhilarating Time With Buck Owens ...
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 12 December 1970
Sly — Master of Rock-Theater ...
Jimmy Reed: A Chicago blues great dead at 50
Obituary by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 31 August 1976
JIMMY REED, one of the great Chicago blues artists, died early yesterday morning in Oakland. He had been playing club engagements throughout Northern California in ...
Terry Riley: A Rainbow in Curved Air (Columbia 7315)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 24 December 1969
THE WONDERFUL San Franciscan with the strange sounds, Terry Riley, has a second LP out, A Rainbow in Curved Air (Columbia 7315). ...
The Rolling Stones: Between the Buttons (London)
Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 31 January 1967
Stones' Latest LP Is a Smasher ...
The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder: Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder: Winterland, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 7 June 1972
Rolling, Rocking Stones Gather No Moss ...
Santana: Matrix, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 14 November 1968
Santana Band Up Close ...
Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Winterland, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 16 January 1978
Sex Pistols end U.S. offensive bored but richer ...
The Shaggs: They are so bad, they're popular
Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 13 June 1980
I FIRST HEARD about the Rounder label LP called The Shaggs — Philosophy of the World via a shout of outrage from my 14-year-old son ...
Bruce Springsteen: Secret of Springsteen's success is 'Born in the U.S.A.'
Profile by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 21 October 1984
SAN FRANCISCO'S local entertainment scene in the second week of January 1970 was in its typical, rainy, post-holiday doldrums. ...
Sun Ra: Space Is The Place (Dir. John Coney)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 14 November 1974
A timeless — also plotless — film of Sun Ra ...
Sylvester: Old Waldorf, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 21 July 1977
Sylvester: A turn in the right direction ...
The Temptations: Mr. D's, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 26 November 1969
The Temptations Get a Soul Transplant ...
Mel Tormé: Tormé writes about a singer, but not himself
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 16 June 1978
YOUR ONLY contact with Mel Tormé has been while he was performing (singing, playing piano or drums, joking). So you've really only gotten a sample ...
Ike & Tina Turner: Basin Street West, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 15 August 1968
Like Old Days in Harlem: A Roaring Good Show ...
Bill Withers: A Star Now, Shocked By the Shallowness
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 27 December 1972
THE HUGELY successful singer Bill Withers is a big guy. When he comes through the doorway, he fills it; when he shakes hands, he really ...
Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 8 April 1969
WHAT'S THE magic ingredient that makes popular hit records? If anyone knew for sure he'd have a billion dollar industry rotating around him, at 45 ...
List of genre pieces
Book Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 22 July 1971
A Fine Text on the Rise of Rock ...
Bill Graham Plans Winterland Move
Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 20 January 1970
ROCK CONCERT-dance impresario Bill Graham, threatened with eviction from his Fillmore West location at Market and Van Ness sometime this year, has made long-range agreements ...
Fillmore West Going — Police Blamed
Report and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 11 June 1971
THE FILLMORE West rock-dance operation at Market and Van Ness will close down permanently at the end of June, an exhausted and bitter Bill Graham ...
Our Famed Fillmore Goes East — With a Difference
Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 27 October 1968
DURING THE past two and a half years the San Francisco Fillmore has become internationally famous as the principal shrine of rock 'n' roll concerts ...
Ralph J. Gleason: Yesterday, we were all losers
Obituary by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 4 June 1975
EARLY MORNING phono calls are the bad ones. A year ago I was jangled awake and plunged into gloom on hearing "Duke died." ...
Comment by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 19 December 1971
AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR at rock concerts has deteriorated in recent months. Near anarchy exists in many portions of the concert halls. ...
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