Jeff Coffin is a musician, educator, Yamaha Performing Artist, Boston Sax Shop Ambassador, Jody Jazz Artist, composer, artist, and author.

Through his encouragement, and mentorship - having presented over 400 clinics and now in his 11th year at the prestigious Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN - Jeff has inspired tens of thousands of students to explore and find their personal joy in music.

In addition to his extensive education and clinic work, Jeff is a member of the legendary Dave Matthews Band as well as a 2024 inductee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Coffin also toured for 14 years and won 3 GRAMMY® Awards with the genre-defying Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (1997-2010).

Ask about bringing in Jeff as a soloist or with one of his many side projects.

THE BIG 5
1) LISTENING
2) TONE & DYNAMICS
3) ARTICULATION
4) RHYTHM & TIME
5) HARMONY

“These fundamentals are, quite literally, the ‘tools for your narrative.’ - JC

A solo or group performance by Jeff starts things off and what follows is a thoughtful, open, candid back and forth discussion with the students about what they heard…which re-connects everything back to fundamentals that Coffin considers to be the building blocks of music. 

This is education that will last far beyond the time your students spend with Jeff in the classroom or concert hall!
Student participation is kindly required.

CLINIC OUTLINE:
This is a super easy and understandable approach to improvisation and to comprehend the many relationships between chords by understanding simple voice leading.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Using a one chord, two chord, and, eventually, a blues progression, Jeff will take your students from the fundamental principles of voice leading into the early stages of improvisation and ‘playing the changes’!

Voice leading is the way notes of one chord connect to the notes of the next chord. Jeff will demonstrate this by using only the notes of the arpeggios (1 3 5 7 of the given chord) to get from one chord to the next.

*Improvisation is the way you use notes and rhythms together much in the same way that we use sounds and rhythms to create words. There will be call & response as well as individual improvisation using the notes from the Connecting The Dots exercises.

THIS APP IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON THE APPLE PLATFORM. SORRY ANDROID USERS!!

CLINIC OUTLINE:
Jeff will present, and elaborate upon, his 10 simple tips for taking your students' improvisation to the next level. This presentation includes tips on articulation, rhythm, voice leading, motivic development, non-traditional techniques, tone, dynamics, and using the fundamentals to give your students greater depth, breadth, and connection to the music.

1. Where am I right now? Being honest with yourself regarding the fundamentals identifying and write down 5 strengths & 5 weaknesses.

2. Where do I want to be in the future? Timetables/Goals…

3. How do I get there? How to develop effective lifelong practice habits.

4. Tradition...imitation vs. individuality. (Follow the spirit, not the style.)

5. Transcriptions. The HOW & WHY!

6. How to become a better listener thru active (the act of) listening.

7. Can you imagine your instrument as the piano/bass/drums, or more?

8. Don’t limit yourself to one style of playing or listening. How to be ‘wide’.

9. Using unusual expressive devices: multi-phonics, growling, alt. articulations, slap tongue etc.

10. Limitless Wonder. ("Can I really do that?")

CLINIC OUTLINE:
HEY!!
It’s the DMB horn section!

Your students might lose their minds when you bring this incredible virtuoso horn section in.

Having played together with Dave Matthews Band since 2008, these guys know the stage, studio, and the 'business' of music inside and out!

"Jeff and Rashawn's clinic was incredibly musical and educational with sincere anecdotes of being professional musicians on the road and in the studio with Dave Matthews Band and many other artists."
- TOM SCOGNAMIGILIO
Music Den/Randolph, NJ

CLINIC OUTLINE:

Go down the rabbit hole with these two incredibly creative master musicians.

This interactive duo clinic/workshop has been called 'life-changing...incredible...mind-blowing', etc...by people attending this presentation by two masters of their craft.

“Many of our students told me that working with Jeff has changed their lives and how they approach music.”
– CALEB CHAPMAN
CCSoundhouse
Past President of the Jazz Education Network (JEN)

”These two guys are one of a kind!”

"Jeff and Futureman were exceptional. They are great clinicians and were really wonderful to our guests!" - Laura Cupit • Amro Music Store, Memphis, TN

MP3’s will be included with the chart downloads if available. They are also available to listen to through Spotify/Apple Music/Amazon/etc…

These are some of my favorite original compositions I picked to be arranged for big band. I’m thrilled with the results and I think you will be too! - JC

Bring JC in to perform these charts with your Big Band…

(Click here for audio examples).

Tall & Lanky • (comp. Coffin/arr. Bret Zvacek)
Fruitcake • (comp. Coffin/arr. David Joyner
Sweet Magnolias • (comp. Coffin/arr. Ryan Middagh)
The Mad Hatter Rides Again • (comp. Coffin/arr. David Joyner)
As Light Through Leaves • (comp. Coffin/arr. Bob Washut)
The Inside of the Outside • (comp. Coffin/arr. Chris McDonald)
Move Your Rug • (comp. Coffin/arr. Ryan Middagh)
12th & Edgehill • (comp. Coffin/arr. Ryan Middagh)
Espoo You • (comp. Coffin/arr. Ryan Middagh)
Dewey • (comp. Coffin/arr. Michael Jenner)
Wobble • (comp. Coffin/arr. Bret Zvacek)
Weird Beard • (comp. Coffin/arr. David Joyner)
The Commissioner • (comp. Coffin & Ryan Middagh/arr. Ryan Middagh) {written for Wycliffe Gordon}
Bubble Up • (comp. Coffin & Alana Rocklin/arr. Tyler Mire)
Going In Circles • (comp. Coffin, lyrics by Liz Johnson/arr. Ryan Middagh) {vocal chart}
Into The Grove • (comp. Coffin/arr. Bob Washut) {in memory of Roy Hargrove}
A Handful Of Beans • (comp. Coffin/arr. Bob Washut)

*Grade 2.5 - COMING SOON!!!

NEW!! LEFT HANDED ETUDE BOOK!

This helped me in ways that I never thought it would…and I wrote it!
- JEFF COFFIN

If you’re looking for a source of fresh material to master on the saxophone, you’ll find it here. Highly recommended!
- JOEL FRAHM

An effective way to get players to play linearly and melodically versus running chord changes. You could even cook breakfast with your right hand while playing the etudes!
- BOB MINTZER

Jeff’s LH Etudes are so much fun! I have never come across a method utilizing this approach before in my many years of study.
- ROXY COSS

Challenging and fun etudes that stump the left hand and explore the extremes of the horn.
- BOB SHEPPARD

The Saxophone Book (Books 1-3)

These books are printed on demand thru Ingram Spark and they look and feel great. This is all tried and tested material from Jeff Coffin that has benefited students and pros of all levels and all styles around the world.

These comprehensive sax books were over 15 years in the making and are based on material Jeff has determined students most needed to address.

Look thru the first 50 pages of each book online: www.thesaxophonebook.com

Jeff’s inspiration for writing these books was Yusef Lateef’s Repository of Scales and Melodic Patterns.

The Articulate Jazz Musician

THE ARTICULATE JAZZ MUSICIAN:
Co-written with veteran master educator and former President of the Jazz Education Network, Caleb Chapman, the AJM is an articulation method for students and directors alike. Great for collegiate music ed majors and pro educators who have little experience teaching jazz band. PLAY-ALONG CD INCLUDED WITH EVERY BOOK! Available for every transposition. 

The AJM is a proven approach for mastering the fundamentals of jazz articulation, phrasing, and interpretation. The included CD has demo and play-along tracks featuring a one-of-a-kind quartet of Jeff Coffin (tenor sax), Victor Wooten (acoustic bass), Roy “Futureman” Wooten (drums) & Chris Walters (piano). These guys sound awesome and so will your students after working on this material!

"Check out The Articulate Jazz Musician!" 
– Gordon Goodwin • Big Phat Band

"This book should be standard study in jazz education."
– Randy Brecker • Brecker Brothers/Trumpet legend

”Are my eyes really that color?”
- Jeff Coffin (co-author)

ALFRED.COM • AMAZON • JW PEPPER

Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet Play-Along
Volume 1

PURCHASE OPTIONS

E-BOOK DOWNLOAD • AMAZON

JW PEPPER • BARNES & NOBLE

THE ROAD BOOK:

Soooooooo, you want to be a touring musician. You feel you’ve got the passion, the willingness, the desire, and the drive, and you want to go out and see what life on the road is really like. Right on! This book contains useful information from 3x Grammy winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band/Bela Fleck & the Flecktones) that he has gathered from his over 25 years on the road as a touring musician...such as...

What’s the road like? How do I get on it? Who do I take with me? How do I get where I’m going? How do I get back? What are some steps to booking my own gigs? What are some creative ways of being creative on the road? How do I make financial ends meet and come back with money in my pocket? How do I decide how many players to take, or how much I can pay them? Who will be in my band? What’s a rider? How do I deal with merchandise? Do I need a road manager? What do I need for merchandise, how do I get it, and much does it cost? How do I deal with press and promo? How do I figure out a budget before I leave? What about contracts? What about the van rental? What do I include in an itinerary?

These are just some of the questions, with real-life suggestions, that are covered here. This book includes lots of things to think about on your journeys, as well as Jeff Coffin's professional and personal suggestions (like make a budget before leaving, and don’t eat lots of fast food on the road!). Don't leave your driveway without The Road Book!

THE RABBIT, THE CARROT, THE CROW & THE QUARRY

Check out the Jeff’s children’s book, THE RABBIT, THE CARROT, THE CROW, AND THE QUARRY, written by Jeff Coffin with illustrations by NYC trumpeter Augie Haas!!

(Recommended for ages 4-9)

A sweet bedtime story about the fun adventures of a bunny named Davey (His fur was quite wavey...) and his new found friend, the Crow. This is Jeff & Augie’s first children’s story and they know you’ll enjoy reading it out loud with your little ones!

**A portion of every sale donated to the Children’s Literacy Initiative! https://cli.org/