Jeff Coffin, well-traveled saxophonist, composer, and Grammy Award winning member of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, rejects all labels and categories other than “music” and “musician.” In the face of his epic 2005 release “BLOOM”, even those once-broad tags fall short of defining the close coiling of sound, philosophy, and humanity that is the core of his art.
Since 1997, Coffin has traveled the world with the Flecktones, performing with musicians of all walks. Those with whom Jeff has shared the stage and/or the recording studio include such diverse artists as Baaba Maal, McCoy Tyner, The Dave Matthews Band, Umphrees McGee, Savion Glover, Branford Marsalis, Jeff (Apt. Q-258) Sipe, Mike Clark’s Prescription Trio, Keller Williams, Mavis Staples, Garth Brooks, Van Morrison, J.D. Souther, Vinnie Colaiuta, Bob Moses, Stanton Moore, George Porter Jr., Anders Osborne, Jerry Douglas, Derek Trucks, John Scofield, Prasanna, Yonder Mountain String Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Wailers and many, many others. Along the way, Coffin has absorbed an astounding range of influences. “Whether it be New Orleans Second Line, African music, Indian Ragas, folk songs, Alan Lomax field recordings, jazz, or funk,” he says, “the spirit and breath of the music is what I take away from listening and playing. It’s what decides for me whether I like it or not.”