Jeff Zittrain - guitars, vocals, keys, harp, percussion
(Z-Trane Electric Band includes:
Richard Dry, Keith Greene on Drums,
Fritz Mueller on Bass, and Lee Haddad on Keys)
Influences
Bob Dylan, Buck Dharma, Jorma Kaukonen, John Coltrane, Mick Taylor, Dean Magraw, Jerry Garcia, Robbie Robertson, Carlos Santana, Bill Morrissey, Mark Knopfler, Miles Davis, Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix, Dave Casper, David Gilmour, Tanya Donelly, Eric Clapton, Lou Reed, Justin Hayward, Tony Banks, Ray Manzarek, Rick Wright, T.S. Eliot, Jack Kerouac, Kurt Vonnegut, Henry Thoreau and many many more...
Sounds Like
"When one can play the guitar with an emotional intuition as naturally
as Jeff can, it will be a journey to remember. He travels with an economy of
motion. He accelerates with a philosophy of intent, not of flashy theatrics
and fretboard somersaults. When you get to the end of the song, you remember
the way you went and what you saw, not how shiny the car was that got you there...Jeff's
deep, soulful voice begs Johnny Cash to sit up and listen. Louis Armstrong,
the master of phrasing, would be proud." - Mike Dakota, Berkeley
"Artfully juxtaposes a cool 60's vibe with a modern-day sensibility...full
of startling guitar work...the band jams with intensity and vision" - Mick
Skidmore, Relix Magazine
...weaves a fulfilling sonic tapestry of unsheltered emotion
and instrumental prowess..." - Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide (4
Stars)
"Jeff Zittrain obviously is a true student of his instrument being able to
take a song into his capable hands and transform it at will." - Mark
Kramer,
West Coast Performer Magazine
"...summoning up silt and twang in every improvisation... Extended jams evince
a grooving virtuosity, but we equally dig on the shorter, sweeter moments
as well, such as the humbler blues instrumental "1928 'Z' Trane." -
Peter Dedman, Hear Music "Emerging Artists" Choice
"...the sound jumped out at me and gave me that tingling refreshing feeling
I
get every so often." - Andy Gadiel,
Founder
and CEO, Jambase
"...great sound with wonderful material - Timbuk 3 meets the Grateful
Dead" -
Bob Erickson, CD Baby
"... like Pink Floyd covering John Prine" -
Colin Gradek, Sound Engineer
"The music is always intimate - even when jamming, it feels personal" -
Geoff Welliver, Expressions Center for New Media
"My new top 10 guitar band...a frickin' 11 in my book!" -
Mike Glendinning, Grunge Jazz Guitar
To understand Jeff Zittrain you have to understand his roots. He grew up in Pittsburgh, home of the rough and tumble Steelers, listening to the sounds of Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zeppelin and The Doors. Then along came the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, The Band...and Zittrain went on the road. Along the way he met T.S. Eliot, Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. He jammed with the Grateful Dead in the Rockies, left his body and went jumping for joy with “The Mighty Quinn”, and hit the ground running in the promised land; San Francisco.
There Zittrain began shaping his ragged, psychedelic and soulful rock and roll sound. Blending his gritty roots with poetic lyricism and improvisational inspiration he performed with the alt-country rockers Absent Iris, the jamband Shirking Violet, the roots rockers Personal Demons and the genre-bending power trio Famous Last Words (FLW). As the primary songwriter in FLW he released two critically acclaimed albums, garnering an All Music Guide 4 Stars and a CD Baby Editors Pick as well as features and reviews in Relix Magazine, Hittin' The Note, An Honest Tune, HearMusic, West Coast Performer Magazine and KyndMusic, a song on NBC TV and a streaming slot on The Rex Foundation website.
But Jeff Zittrain is not content to rest on his laurels. Having recently stepped out as a solo artist with the Z Trane Electric Band, he has begun to take his expansive and raw music to the next level. The response has been incredible.
In the first 9 months of 2007 Zittrain was invited to perform as a featured artist at:
Neil Young's Living With War Hootenany
The San Francisco Folk Festival
The British Invasion Showcase
The prestigious Music & Dance Collaboration Project, where he graced the program's cover
In the midst of all that excitement Zittrain, who's shared the stage with Steve Kimock, Carlos Santana, Mike Gordon, Leo Kottke, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Leftover Salmon, Little Feat, Derek Trucks and Eliza Gilkyson, has continued playing select shows throughout the Bay Area and signed with KyndManagement out of Washington D.C..
As 2009 heads into summer Zittrain is putting the finishing touches on his upcoming live album. Recorded over three nights in San Francisco and Berkeley, CA it promises to highlight classics and introduce new material to his ever growing legion of fans.
Dave Terpeny, KyndMgmt
Jeff Zittrain (and his MySpace page) are managed by KyndMgmt, Washington D.C.
Banish Playing Heaven jam The Other One>Lullaby
The two cd's Jeff made with Famous Last Words are available here:
We've got a great show coming up at the Boom Boom room SF this Friday April 10th with Nucleus ,if you like what we do you should come by and check it out .Psych Prog Funk fusion all in one show .Peace .
Got this today call me so we can make plans. The new song is going great and as much of a pain in the ass as it was the youbube thing is going as planned.
:)
Hey Mike. Since I'll be out town this coming weekend, how about Sat the 13th or Sun the 14th? I was thinking late afternoon/early evening. Which day works better for you?
Jeff lets get the songs done. When that happens the doors will swing open.
I Just heard Banish man...and that was really cool, nice tune man I just love it! hey Jeff, We'll be playing at the El Rio on Nov 06, come to check us out or come by our rehearsal, you know how it is! :)
