Yamaha Performing Artist and saxophonist with Dave Matthews Band, rejects all labels and categories other than "music" and "musician" when asking how to describe his playing, writing and himself.
Coffin is an internationally recognized saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator and has been traveling the globe since the mid-1990's. He is a 3x Grammy Award winner from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones and began playing with them in 1997. In July 2008, Jeff began touring with Dave Matthews Band, and officially joined the group in 2009 following the passing of founding member LeRoi Moore.
Some of the artists Coffin has shared the stage and the recording studio include a "who's who" of musicians such as, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Dave Matthews Band, Branford Marsalis, Bob Mintzer, DJ Logic, New Orleans Social Club, Maceo Parker, McCoy Tyner, Baaba Maal, Phish, Mike Clark's Prescription Trio, Galactic, Kirk Whalum, Widespread Panic, Chris Thile, Willie Nelson, Chester Thompson, Garth Brooks, Van Morrison, J.D. Souther, Vinnie Colaiuta, The Dixie Chicks, 'Rakalam' Bob Moses, Stanton Moore, Brooks and Dunn, Tuvan Throat Singers - the Alash Ensemble & Konger Ol Ondar, George Porter Jr., Umphrey's McGee, Del McCoury, John Scofield, Yonder Mountain String Band, Marc Broussard, Martina McBride, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Wailers and many, many others.
Jeff is a heavily in-demand clinician, a Yamaha Performing Artist and, since 2001, has presented over 200 music clinics from Farmington, Maine to Perth, Australia to students of all ages with raving reviews.
Living in Nashville, TN since 1991, Coffin graduated with a music education degree from the University of North Texas in 1990 where he played in the acclaimed One O'Clock Lab Band. Jeff also studied with saxophone great Joe Lovano on a NEA grant, and has been a tireless champion to players of all ages and levels to find their own musical voice.
A number of Jeff's compositions have been published as big band arrangements through the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Jazz Press and he has presented them in concerts at many schools. Education continues to be an important part of what Jeff shares with others.
At the 2000 Grammy Awards, in addition to Bela Fleck & the Flecktones winning a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Recording (Outbound), Coffin's tune, Zona Mona (Bela Fleck & the Flecktones/Outbound) was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Composition.
Coffin is also an avid photographer and he sees photographic composition, musical composition and improvisation as going hand in hand. www.jeffcoffinphotography.com
