Jeff London, is an American musician and songwriter from Queens, New York. He was a part of the Portlandindie-folkmusic scene of the mid-nineties, inspired by artists such as Elliot Smith and Pete Krebs, and sharing stages with M. Ward, Colin Meloy, Sara Dougher, Ben Gibbard, and Ben Barnett. His album and compilation recordings on HUSH records and Jealous Butcher records from 1997 to 1999 established the connection between the sound of Portland indie-folk and a broader Portland-based songwriter school. London is a vocalist who plays acoustic and electric guitar, piano, bass, and harmonica. He is notable for his lyricism.
Early life and education
Jeff London was born in 1970 in Douglaston, Queens. In the early eighties at Camp B’nai Brith Perlman Jeff discovered musical theater in productions of Pippen and Guys and Dolls. In 1987 Jeff landed an off-Broadway role as Eugene Morris Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Studio Theatre in Lindenhurst. This production was reviewed in both the New York Times and Newsday. Newsday said “when you see Jeff London’s Eugene you forget Matthew Broderick’s …” Jeff went to college at SUNY Binghamton where he began fronting bands and eventually writing songs reflective of the alternative culture of the early 90s.
Music career
In 1992 Jeff formed Megrim with Jason Weiner in Binghamton, New York and recorded original, heavy indie music in the vein of Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr., and Sonic Youth. In 1994 upon moving to the East Village Jeff played the singer-songwriter scene and recorded another set of songs that earned him local gigs at Sin-é and other clubs Just after the New Year 1995 he drove across the country in a car with a hole in the floor to Portland, Oregon. He played the open mic scene there, eventually establishing his Hot Cocoa night at Meow Meow where he met Ben Barnett and other Portland musicians. His first full length came out on tape cassette on Jealous Butcher, Uneasy, and he made a name for himself in local publications. With Less, a four-artist collaboration on HUSH records, he began working with both Rob Jones and Chad Crouch of those labels, putting out Slowness, which led to out of town shows in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chico, Ca. He then shared half of a split release on the Postparlo label with Kind of Like Spitting. London has also helped out with bass duties in Boy Crazy. His band lineup has included Rachel Blumberg, Chris Funk, Adam Selzer, Molly Hardy, Tove Holmberg, Dave Depper, Ben Barnett, and Tofer Towe. Col. Summers Park was the first to feature his rotating cast of friends and collaborators and it was well received. Jeff earned entry into SXSW, NXNW, and the CMJ music festival in New York City. Upon his return to New York Jeff released The Bane of Progress on HUSH and played live with Greg McMullen, Marla Hansen, Alec Mengee, Robin Ziari, and Andy Moon followed by a string of shows in New York City and a record release in Portland Oregon. He also appeared and played on In the Land of the Ice and Snow, a compilation of Portland bands that supported Portland public schools. Jeff has played regularly at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn over the years and has recently completed the recording of Trouble Trust, out in Spring 2020.
Discography
Albums Uneasy Jealous Butcher Records JB-018 1997
Slowness Hush Records HUSH14 2000
Col. Summers Park Hush Records, Jealous Butcher Records HSH 027, JB-039 2001
