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Darren Jessee

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Birth name
  
Darren Michael Jessee

Role
  
Drummer

Name
  
Darren Jessee


Labels
  
Sony, Bar/None

Years active
  
1994–present

Record label
  
Bar None Records

Darren Jessee F Yeah Sharon Van Etten Meet The Band Darren Jessee

Genres
  
Folk, alternative rock, lo fi acoustic

Occupation(s)
  
Musician, singer-songwriter, drummer

Instruments
  
Vocals, guitar, piano, drums, timpani

Music groups
  
Ben Folds Five (Since 1993), Hotel Lights

Albums
  
Ben Folds Five, Naked Baby Photos, Whatever and Ever Amen, The Unauthorized Biograph, The Best Imitation of Myself: A

Similar People
  
Robert Sledge, Ben Folds, Joe Pisapia

Darren Jessee - Letting You Go (Live Session)


Darren Michael Jessee is an American drummer, songwriter, singer and member of the rock bands Ben Folds Five and Hotel Lights. In 2014, Jessee joined Sharon Van Etten's touring band. He is currently touring with Hiss Golden Messenger as of September 2016.

Contents

Darren Jessee Darren Jessee Photos Ben Folds Five In Concert New

Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in North Carolina, Jessee currently lives in Brooklyn. Ben Folds Five are known for energetic live shows and vocal harmonies. Jessee's drumming style has a strong jazz influence, from his longtime love of the genre. Referred to by WXPN's Bruce Warren as "Ben Folds Five's secret weapon", Jessee formed Hotel Lights in 2003 after many years writing songs, playing drums, and touring in the trio. In his own band, Hotel Lights have had their songs featured in hit TV shows (Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill) and a major motion picture Baby Mama. The song "Sky High" from Ben Folds Five's 2012 release The Sound of the Life of the Mind written by Jessee and performed by Ben Folds Five was also heard in ABC TV's Quantico.

Darren Jessee www1pictureszimbiocomgiBenFoldsFiveConcert

Ben Folds, on a recent iTunes Originals compilation, credited the Jessee-penned chorus for "Brick" as the missing element to a song that he had tried to compose for a long time, remarking "I've never understood a hit chorus. I wish I did."

Darren Jessee Darren Jessee Photos 2012 New York Comic Con Day 1

Darren can also be heard drumming on the song "Strangest Thing" from The War on Drugs (band) 2017 album A Deeper Understanding, and Josh Rouse's album Under Cold Blue Stars, released in 2002.

Darren Jessee Darren Jessee Zimbio

Darren jessee you come and i go


Discography

Ben Folds Five

  • Ben Folds Five (1995)
  • Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)
  • Naked Baby Photos (1998)
  • The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999)
  • The Sound of the Life of the Mind (2012)

    • Hotel Lights

  • Hotel Lights (2005)
  • Goodnightgoodmorning (2006)
  • Firecracker People (2008)
  • Girl Graffiti (2011)
  • Get Your Hand in My Hand (2016)

    • Songwriter

    Hotel Lights is the project name for songwriter Darren Jessee. Notable Jessee songwriting contributions for Ben Folds Five include:

  • "Magic" (Jessee) – The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner
  • "Sky High" (Jessee) – The Sound of the Life of the Mind
  • "Brick" (Folds / Jessee) – Whatever and Ever Amen
  • "Song for the Dumped" (Folds / Jessee) – Whatever and Ever Amen
  • "Kate" (Folds / Jessee /Anna Goodman) – Whatever and Ever Amen
  • "Amelia Bright" (Jessee) – unreleased track performed live by the band 1999–2000; later featured on the Hotel Lights album Firecracker People. A 2000 studio version of the track by Ben Folds Five was included on Folds' retrospective album The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective (2011)
  • "Leather Jacket" (Jessee) – No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees
  • "Wandering" (Folds / Jessee) – Speed Graphic (Note: this is a Ben Folds solo EP)
  • "Stumblin' Home Winter Blues" (Jessee) – originally released on Hotel Lights' self-titled debut album in 2006; later recorded by Ben Folds Five for The Best Imitation of Myself

    • References

    Darren Jessee Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA