Jeff Irwin
Encyclopedia
Jeff Irwin is an East Nashville, Tennessee
based multi-instrumentalist
. He has performed with Griffin House, Cerys Matthews
(formerly of Catatonia
), Derek Webb
& Sandra McCracken
, Mat Kearney
, Taylor Sorensen & the Trigger Code, and many others including the Counting Crows
.
, Irwin grew up in St. Louis County
. Growing up he studied piano
, violin
(learning the Suzuki method
), viola
, trumpet
, guitar
, bass guitar
, contrabass
, baritone horn
, and various synthesizer
s. Irwin also received vocal training by participating in various area choirs. He wrote and performed an overture
for his 4th grade class' musical production of Magellan.
Inhigh school
, he formed his first band, The Mafia. The band was focused on both performing cover songs and writing original music. They sometimes doubled as an instrumental jazz
combo, playing parties and corporate functions. This was a catalyst for his involvement in school orchestras, jazz ensembles, choirs, and musical productions.
In college, Irwin performed more as a bassist than as a singer/songwriter. From 1996-1999, while living in Bolivar
and Springfield, Missouri
, he played in a ska
band as well as various jazz
groups. In 1999, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee
to attend Belmont University
. He immediately began writing and performing with numerous groups, from rock band
s to orchestra
s.
, Roman Candle
, The Nashville Jazz Group, Thad Cockrell
, Andrew Peterson, Randall Goodgame, Stephen Gordon
, and Sandra McCracken
, among others.
(The Who
), Tony Levin
(Peter Gabriel
), Matt Malley (Counting Crows
), John Paul Jones
(Led Zeppelin
), and Adam Clayton
(U2
)) as the bassists who have most influenced his playing.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
based multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
. He has performed with Griffin House, Cerys Matthews
Cerys Matthews
Cerys Elizabeth Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, her more recent bilingual solo career, and for a 1998 Christmas duet with Tom Jones.-Biography:...
(formerly of Catatonia
Catatonia (band)
Catatonia were an alternative rock band from Wales who gained a national following in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 1990s. The band consisted of Cerys Matthews on vocals, Mark Roberts on guitar, Paul Jones on bass , Owen Powell on...
), Derek Webb
Derek Webb
Derek Walsh Webb is an American singer-songwriter who first entered the music industry as a member of the band Caedmon's Call, and later embarked on a successful solo career....
& Sandra McCracken
Sandra McCracken
Sandra McCracken is an independent singer-songwriter. She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and fellow singer-songwriter Derek Webb.-Background:...
, Mat Kearney
Mat Kearney
Mathew William "Mat" Kearney is an American musician born in Eugene, Oregon, now based in Nashville, Tennessee. Kearney has received critical acclaim and widespread recognition for his Columbia Records debut, Nothing Left to Lose. So far, he has a total of four top 20 hits on the Adult Top 40...
, Taylor Sorensen & the Trigger Code, and many others including the Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
.
Biography
Born in Creve Coeur, MissouriCreve Coeur, Missouri
Creve Coeur, derived from French for "heartbreak" , is a second-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in west St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The city derives its name from Creve Coeur Lake, which is shaped like a broken heart. The population was 17,833 at the 2010 census...
, Irwin grew up in St. Louis County
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
. Growing up he studied piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
(learning the Suzuki method
Suzuki method
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music that emerged in the mid-20th century.-Background:The Suzuki Method was conceived in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist who desired to bring beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II...
), viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, contrabass
Contrabass
Contrabass refers to a musical instrument of very low pitch; generally those pitched one octave below instruments of the bass register...
, baritone horn
Baritone horn
The baritone horn is a member of the brass instrument family. The baritone horn has a predominantly cylindrical bore as do the trumpet and trombone. A baritone horn uses a large mouthpiece much like those of a trombone or euphonium, although it is a bit smaller. Some baritone mouthpieces will sink...
, and various synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s. Irwin also received vocal training by participating in various area choirs. He wrote and performed an overture
Overture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
for his 4th grade class' musical production of Magellan.
Inhigh school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, he formed his first band, The Mafia. The band was focused on both performing cover songs and writing original music. They sometimes doubled as an instrumental jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
combo, playing parties and corporate functions. This was a catalyst for his involvement in school orchestras, jazz ensembles, choirs, and musical productions.
In college, Irwin performed more as a bassist than as a singer/songwriter. From 1996-1999, while living in Bolivar
Bolivar, Missouri
Bolivar is the county seat of Polk County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,325 at the 2010 census. The city was named for Bolivar, Tennessee, home to many of the original settlers, and like that city its name is pronounced to rhyme with Oliver...
and Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, he played in a ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band as well as various jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
groups. In 1999, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to attend Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
. He immediately began writing and performing with numerous groups, from rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
s to orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s.
Current activities
2008–Present, Jeff has been working with the following artists; The Deep Vibration, Griffin House, Tristen, The BittersweetsThe Bittersweets
The Bittersweets are an alternative country duo from Nashville, Tennessee, founded by singer-songwriter Chris Meyers and Hannah Prater in 2005...
, Roman Candle
Roman candle
Roman candle is a traditional type of firework, that ejects one or more stars or exploding shells.Roman candles come in a variety of sizes, from small 6 mm diameter for consumers, and up to 8 cm diameter in professional fireworks displays.Roman candles are banned in some countries due...
, The Nashville Jazz Group, Thad Cockrell
Thad Cockrell
Thad Cockrell is an American singer-songwriter. He has released three solo albums, along with a collaborative album with Caitlin Cary. Cockrell often writes emotional songs, and is frequently associated with his goal to "put the hurt back in country"....
, Andrew Peterson, Randall Goodgame, Stephen Gordon
Stephen Gordon
Stephen Gordon, Steven Gordon or Steve Gordon is the name of:*Stephen Paul Gordon , Security Specialist, class of 1977*Stephen J. Gordon , English chess grandmaster*Stephen P...
, and Sandra McCracken
Sandra McCracken
Sandra McCracken is an independent singer-songwriter. She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and fellow singer-songwriter Derek Webb.-Background:...
, among others.
Influences
Irwin cites John EntwistleJohn Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
(The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
), Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
(Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
), Matt Malley (Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
), John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
(Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
), and Adam Clayton
Adam Clayton
Adam Charles Clayton is a musician, best known as the bassist of the Irish rock band U2. Clayton has resided in County Dublin since the time his family moved to Malahide when he was five years old in 1965...
(U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
)) as the bassists who have most influenced his playing.
Selected recordings
- Taylor Sorensen's The Overflow 2003
- Griffin House's Homecoming 2006
- Cerys MatthewsCerys MatthewsCerys Elizabeth Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, her more recent bilingual solo career, and for a 1998 Christmas duet with Tom Jones.-Biography:...
' Never Said Goodbye 2006 - Landon PiggLandon PiggLandon Pigg is a singer-songwriter, musician, and actor from Nashville, Tennessee.- Early years :Pigg was born in Nashville, Tennessee. When Pigg was a child, his family moved to Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and he and two of his siblings, Cari-Ann and Gabriel, sang commercial jingles...
"Coffeeshop" 2008 - Peter Bradley AdamsPeter Bradley AdamsPeter Bradley Adams is a folk-pop Americana singer-songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama.-History:Before embarking on his solo career in 2005, Adams was a founding member of the critically acclaimed folk/pop duo eastmountainsouth...
"Leavetaking" 2008 - Roman CandleRoman candleRoman candle is a traditional type of firework, that ejects one or more stars or exploding shells.Roman candles come in a variety of sizes, from small 6 mm diameter for consumers, and up to 8 cm diameter in professional fireworks displays.Roman candles are banned in some countries due...
's Oh Tall Tree in the Ear 2009 - Thad CockrellThad CockrellThad Cockrell is an American singer-songwriter. He has released three solo albums, along with a collaborative album with Caitlin Cary. Cockrell often writes emotional songs, and is frequently associated with his goal to "put the hurt back in country"....
's To Be Loved LP 2009 - Griffin House's The Learner 2010