Jim Goetsch

Jim Goetsch began his music studies under legendary jazz theorist & composer George Russell in St Louis, Missouri. He then went on to serve as band-leader in groups on the local scene. He gained valuable experience opening concerts for big-name (jazz) acts such as Gil Scott-Heron, Billy Cobham, Tom Scott, and many others. ​During the 80s, Jim became fully immersed in St. Louis' lively avant-garde music scene. He collaborated and performed with the Black Artists Group and the New Music Circle, a collective dedicated to new classical works. He played concerts with Senegalese drummer Mor Thiam and completed a coast-to-coast tour with blues legend Albert King. After a move to California, he began a long-standing friendship with keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul of Weather Report fame. Jim considers this alliance to be his most significant musical learning experience. ​In the 90s, Jim segued into the vibrant electronic music scene in Los Angeles. He performed locally/regularly with the electronic duo Biomechanique and recorded with another electronic duo, Demolition Squad . The group's album 'Hit It' received a 9-out-of-10 rating from Alternative Press. ​For several years Jim has been releasing records of a solo project he calls Subversive Element on his Psychosomatic Records label. In these works, he blends his signature processed soprano saxophone with abstract electronic soundscapes into a wild dub mix over beats and bass. He has recently created a new solo project he calls Double Image that is more of an ambient mix with synthesizer sequences providing the rhythms rather than drums. Recently Baker's Brew has been integrating several of Jim's current 4 channel surround sound electronic compositions into the band's improvisations.