Jeff Buckley (Jeff Buckley) - American singer, composer and musician. After ten years of working as a guitarist, he began to perform cover versions, gradually switching to his own material, until in 1994 he released the studio album Grace. The music edition of Rolling Stone considers him one of the greatest singers of all time.
Jeff Buckley: biography
The future singer was born in California County Orange in 1966 and was tragically killed in an accident in Memphis 05/29/97. He was the only son of Mary Gilber and Tim Buckley. He was brought up by his mother and stepfather Ron Morehead. Jeff's biological father was a singer and composer who released a series of albums of folk and jazz music in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Jeff grew up in a musical environment: his mother had a classical musical education, and his stepfather at a young age introduced him to the work of the groups âIce Zeppelinâ, âPink Floydâ, âQueenâ, as well as singer Jimmy Hendrix.
Jeff Buckley appeared on the avant-garde club venues in New York in the 1990s as one of the most prominent music artists of his generation, recognized by the public, critics and fellow musicians. His first commercial record was Live At Sin-Ă©, a 4-song mini-album that was released in December 1993 via Columbia Records. On the record, Buckley accompanied himself on an electric guitar in a small New York cafe in East Village.
Debut album
By the time Grace released his first album in the fall of 1993, Buckley was already in the studio with Mick Grondal (bass), Matt Johnson (drummer) and producer Andy Wallace and recorded seven original songs (including Grace and Last Goodbye ) and three covers (among them Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Benjamin Britten's Christie Carol Corps). Shortly before the release of the album, guitarist Michael Thaye became a regular member of the Jeff Buckley ensemble, who joined the co-writing and performance of So Real.
"Peyote Theater"
In early 1994, from mid-January to early March, shortly after the appearance of Live At Sin-Ă© in stores, Buckley toured North America's clubs, salons and coffee houses as a solo artist, and from 11 to 22 March also in Europe. After lengthy rehearsals in April-May 1994, Jeff and his group from the beginning of June to mid-August made a tour of the Peyote Radio Theater. The full-length album Grace was released in the United States on 08/23/94. Then Buckley and the musicians began their European tour with Dublin. The tour lasted until September 22, and after 2 days they were already performing at the CMJ concert in New York's Super Club. The group returned to the clubs of America, making an autumn tour, which lasted two months.
World recognition
On New Year's Eve 1995, Buckley returned to Sin-Ă© to perform solo. On January 1, he read the original poem at the annual poetic marathon, organized by the Church of St. Mark. After 2 weeks, the group was again in Europe with concerts in London, Bristol and Dublin before an extensive tour of Italy, France, Belgium, Japan, Britain, Germany and the Netherlands, which lasted from late January to early March. Soon there was news that for the album "Grace" Buckley Jeff received the prestigious international Grand Prix in 1995 in France. It is awarded by a jury of journalists, producers, the president of the French Culture Society, as well as music industry professionals. Earlier it was received by Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Yves Montand, Bob Dylan, Georges Brassan, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. France also conferred Buckley the status of holder of a gold disc.
World Tour
From March 5 to April 20, Buckley and his group rehearsed for the American spring tour, which ran from April 2 to June 22. Then Jeff and the team went on tour in the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland. From late August to early September 1995, the group worked six shows in Australia. In November, Buckley performed two unannounced recitals. December 17, he took part in the show âPleasure of an idiotâ on WXRK-FM and celebrated the 1996 offensive with performances in the New York Mercury Lounge and Sin-Ă©.
After that, Jeff Buckley and the ensemble returned to Australia, where the album "Grace" also became gold to perform on the Hard Luck tour, which took place before the beginning of spring 1996. Drummer Matt Johnson left the band after his last gig in Australia. Mystery White Boy's posthumous album brings together some of his best live performances from 1995-1996. The DVD and video release fully documented the artistâs concert at Chicago Metro Cabaret on May 13, 1995.
Performances in the USA
In May 96, in a side project by friend Jeff Buckley Nathan Larson Shudder To Think, the musician was the bass player in four performances with the band Mind Science of The Mind. In September 96th, he gave another unannounced solo concert in his favorite Sin-Ă©. December 1996, the musician dedicated to preparing for his "phantom solo tour." Designed for experimenting with new songs in live performance (as during Sin-Ă© performances), these sudden recitals throughout the northeastern United States were played under various pseudonyms: âCrackbatsâ, âObsessed with Elvesâ, âFather Demoâ , Smakrobiotic, Crit Club, the Halfspeeds, Topless America, Martha & the Nicotines, etc.
At midnight on February 9, 1997, at Arlene Grosery, located on the New York Lower East Side, Jeff Buckley introduced his new drummer Parker Kindrid. During the first months of 1997, he gave a couple of recitals in New York: at the Daydream Cafe (with members of the band Mick Grondahl and Michael Tiye as âspecial guestsâ) and a solo concert on February 4 as part of the 10th anniversary of the Knitting club Factory.
Jobs in Memphis
Buckley Jeff and his band with Tom Verlaine as producer during the summer and fall of 1996 and early winter of 1997 in New York, and in February 1997 in Memphis recorded the new album. After completing these sessions, he sent the musicians back to New York, and in March and April 1997 remained in Memphis and continued to work. Jeff Buckley recorded songs at home, creating various four-track versions to present later to his bandmates. Some of them were alterations of compositions recorded with Verlaine, some were completely new, and some were amazing cover versions. New songs debuted on February 12 and 13 at Barrister's in Memphis.
Tragic death
Starting March 31, Jeff gave a series of regular evening solo concerts at Barrister's, held on Mondays. His last performance was on 05.26.97. On the night of his death, Buckley went to meet with his group to begin three weeks of rehearsal. Producer Andy Wallace, who directed the Grace record, was due to join them at Memphis in late June to record a new album.
Collaboration with other artists
In addition to the Columbia Records Live At Sin-Ă© and Grace, Buckley appeared as a guest singer on a number of other artists. Jeff can be found in Jolly Street's 1994 album Jazz Passengers. His tenor was used in the compositions of Taipan and D. Popylepis by John Zorn Live At The Knitting Factory (1995). In the songs of Rebecca Moore, Brenda Kahn, Patti Smith, the musician plays bass, drums and acts as a backing vocalist.
An ardent enthusiast of many musical forms, Jeff became the champion among young American musicians, working with the world's leading cavalry (Sufi music) singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Buckley and Nusrat gave an extensive interview to Interview magazine (January 1996) and wrote annotations for the singerâs CD, released on Mercator / Caroline Records in August 1997. On May 9, 2000, Columbia Records released an album of live performances by Jeff Buckley, Mystery White Boy and Jeff Buckley - Live in Chicago, a full-length concert available on DVD and VHS, which was recorded at Cabaret Metro in Chicago on May 13, 1995. , in the midst of a Mystery White Boy tour.
Mysterious young man
As already mentioned, after the release of Grace on August 23, 1994, Jeff and his group spent most of 1994-1996 touring around the world on Unknown, Mystery White Boy and Hard Luck tours. The May 2000 release of Mystery White Boy first brought together some of the best performances at these concerts. Produced by Michael Tieille (the groupâs guitarist throughout the bandâs international tour and Graceâs recordings) and Mary Glber (the singerâs mother), the album offers a catchy cut of Jeff Buckleyâs repertoire consisting of previously unreleased tracks, capturing recordings from the studio album, and obscure and amazing cover versions. The recordings were matched from dozens of Maryâs live tapes and members of Jeffâs band, who played a big role in helping Jeff realize his musical vision.
According to Mary, the albumâs compositions "are separate performances that represented the transcendental moments of each of the concerts that were categorized as outstanding."
Jeff Buckley: Hallelujah
Years after the death of a talented artist, his legacy continues to grow. His fans are rock legends, artists, loyal followers, as well as a whole new generation of music lovers. "Grace", Jeff's only studio album, released during his lifetime, continues to remain popular.
In addition, in 1998, the unfinished Memphis work of Jeff Sketches (For My Sweetheart The Drunk) was released. Release 2000. Mystery White Boy arrived in time for a DVD release of a concert in the Chicago Metro Hall. In 2003, Sony re-released Live at Sin-e and in 2004 Grace, which were supplemented by rare tracks and excerpts from performances. In 2007, the album So Real: Songs From Jeff Buckley was released with updated tracks for ardent fans and music lovers. In 2009, there was an opportunity to see Jeff during the Live DVD Grase tour - around the world. In 2014, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of studio recording, a 180-gram vinyl disc âLilac Whirlwindâ was released in a limited edition of 2000 copies. In March 2015, a new album appeared with previously unknown material.
A cover of Leonard Cohen, played by Jeff Buckley, Hallelujah took 1st place on the Billboard list in March 2008. This was due to the performance of the song by Jason Castro, a member of the American Idol. In the same year, the winner of the British "X-factor" Alexandra Burke released her cover version of Hallelujah for Christmas. Jeff Buckley moved up to number two on the British singles chart thanks to the efforts of his fans to launch a campaign against Burke.
Interesting Facts
- Jeff Buckley grew up under the name Scott Morehead.
- Rolling Stone magazine considers him one of the greatest singers of all time.
- Tim Buckley Jeff saw his father only once when he was 8 years old, a few months before his death from an overdose.
- The first performance of the singer took place in the Episcopal Church of St. Anne in Brooklyn in April 1991, where he performed 3 songs of his father.
- The musician almost auditioned for Mick Jagger's solo concerts , but the music director of the Rolling Stones leader rejected him.
- Jeff chose the Sony Columbia Records recording studio because his idol Bob Dylan worked with her.
- The impetus for Buckleyâs career was not the single âGraceâ, but the song âLast Goodbyeâ.
- In May 1995, Jeff was named by People magazine one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.