Pianist/singer/composer Paul West entered the Seattle music scene in the middle 50's, appearing at Norm Bobrow's Colony with Broadway "Flower Drum Song" star Pat Suzuki. Through the 60's Paul held forth at The Door coffeehouse, The Sorrento Hotel and the Riviera on Lake Union with bassists Kenny Greig, Don Rogers and Lee Phelps (returning later for another long stay when the Riviera became the Hungry Turtle).

In the 70's Paul formed the popular trio ëBLT' with Rolf Johnson and Gail Clements. In the early 80's, West worked in Seattle and Los Angeles with Mark Brown and Garnet Hundley in the trio ëSurprise,' highlighted by Jazz Alley and Bellevue Jazz Festival appearances backed by the Barney McClure/Chuck Deardorf/Mike McKinley trio. The mid 80's found West pursuing his advertising copywriting career in Los Angeles, where he had a long stand at LA Nicola (occasionally joined by trombonist Bill Reichenbach).

Returning to Seattle to work at Microsoft in 1991, Paul, along with Lee Phelps and Norm Bobrow became fixtures at the Rive Gauche (now Tula's) and for the past 7 years at the College Club.