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1966 yılında Kaliforniya'da kült şarkı sözü yazarlarından Tim Buckley'nin oğlu olarak dünyaya gelen Jeff Buckley müzik dünyasının en başarılı ve akıllıca yazılmış şarkı sözlerine imza atarak benzerlerinden kendini ayırabilmiş ender rastlanan kişiliklerden biridir.
Müzik dünyasına aslında lise yıllarında girmiş olsa da kendini ispatlayabilmesi 1990 yılında New York'un avant-garde camiasına girmesiyle gerçekleşti. New York'la tanışmadan önce Los Angeles'a müzik okumaya gitti ve burada da Shinehead başta olmak üzere bir çok jazz ve funk grubuyla çalıştı. Shinehead kısa bir süre sonra başarılı bir grup olsa da Buckley yoluna tek başına devam etmeye karar verdi.
Sonunda 1993 yılının Aralık'ında Colombia Plak Şirketiyle anlaşma imzalayan sanatçının dört parçadan oluşan ilk EP'si "Live at Sin-é" piyasaya çıktı. EP'nin piyasaya çıkmasının hemen ardından hiç vakit kaybetmeden Buckley; bas gitarist Mick Grondahl, baterist Matt Johnson ve prodüktör Andy Wallace'la birlikte stüdyoya girdi. Yaptıkları çalışmada aralarında 'Grace' ve 'Last Goodbye'da olmak üzere yedi orjinal parça, bununla birlikte Leonard Cohen'in 'Hallelujah' ve Benjamin Britten'in 'Corpus Christi Carol' adlı parçalarına yapılmış cover'lar da ortaya çıktı. Gitarist Michael Tighe ise Buckley'nin o sırada tam kadro elemanı olmasa da 'So Real' adlı parçada adı geçiyordu.
1994 yılının başında Live Sin-é raflardaki yerini daha yeni almıştı ki Jeff Buckley, solo artist olarak Kuzey Amerika daha sonrada Avrupa'da turneye çıktı. Ardından sanatçının bu defa grubuyla birlikte çıktığı 'Peyote Radio Theatre Tour' turnesi başladı. Buckley'nin ilk albümü ise 1994 yılında piyasaya çıkan "Grace" oldu. Grace'in piyasaya çıkmasının ardından Buckley ve grubu da tekrar turneye çıktı. Yeni yıl arifesinde Buckley; Sin-é'ye solo performansını sergilemek için döndü; yeni yılda ise St Mark Kilisesi Marathon Poetry Reading'e katıldı. İki hafta sonra o ve grubu Dublin, Bristol ve Londra'yı kapsayacak olan turne için Avrupa'ya döndü.
Bu turnenin ardından ise Japonya, Fransa, Almanya, İtalya, Hollanda, Belçika ve Amerika'yı kapsayacak olan daha büyük bir turneye çıktı. 13 Nisan 1995'de Buckley'nin "Grace" albümü; Fransa'da prodüktörler, gazeteciler, Fransız Kültür Başkanı ve müzik endüstrisi içinde yer alan önemli kişiler tarafından verilen "Gran Prix International Du Disque - Academie Charles CROS - 1995" ödülünü aldı. Bu ödülü daha önce Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Yves Montand, Georges Brassens, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez ve Joni Mitchell almıştı. Buckley'nin "Grace" albümü aynı zamanda yine Fransa'da altın plak ödülünün de sahibi oldu.
Buckley ve grubu bu dönemde de turneye devam etti. Verdikleri son Avustralya konserinden sonra baterist Matt Johnson gruptan ayrıldı. 1996 yılının Mayıs'ında Buckley'nin arkadaşı Shudder To Think'ten Nathan Larson'ın yan projesi Mind Science of the Mind'la birlikte bas gitarist olarak dört konser verdi. 9 Şubat 1997'de New York Arlene Grocery'de verilen konser aynı zamanda yeni baterist Parker Kindred'in de ilk konseri oldu.
1996 ve 97 yıllarında grup; prodüktör Tom Verlaine'le birlikte New York'ta başlayıp Memphis'de sona eren kayıtlarla ilgilendi. Buckley grubu New York'a gönderip dört kanallı kayıt cihazında yine grubuna dinletmek için parçalar kaydetti. Bunlardan bazıları Verlaine'le birlikte kaydedilmiş olan parçaların farklı denemeleri iken bazıları da tahmin bile edilmeyen şarkılara yapılmış cover'lardı. Yeni kadroyla birlikte grup bu yeni parçaları 12 Şubat'ta Memphis - Barrister's'da başlayan konserlerle tanıtmaya başladı.
Kısa bir süre sonra Jeff her Pazartesi düzenli olarak Barristers'da solo konserler vermeye başladı, son konseri ise 29 Mayıs 1997'de oldu. Bu gece grup arkadaşlarıyla buluşmaya giden Buckley aniden Misisipi nehrinde yüzmeye karar verdi, kıyafetleriyle suya giren Buckley bir kaç dakika sonra dalgalar arasında kayboldu, ilgili kişilerle hemen irtibata geçildi fakat Buckley'nin cesedi 4 Haziran'a kadar bulunamadı. Buckley öldüğünde 30 yaşındaydı. Daha önce yayınlanmamış olan parçaları "Sketches (For My Sweetheart the Drunk)" 1998 yılında ve iki yıl sonra canlı kayıtlardan oluşan "Mystery White Boy" piyasaya çıktı.
Colombia Records'un yaptığı açıklamaya göre Buckley'nin Grace ve Live in Sin-é dışında da bazı albümlerde adı geçti. Jazz Passengers'ın 1994 yılında piyasaya çıkan "In Love" albümünde 'Jolly Street'i, John Zorn'un "Live At Knitting Factory" albümünden 'Taipan' ve 'D. Popylepis'i söyleyen, Rebecca Moore'un "Admiral Charcoal's Song"da yer alan 'If You Please Me', 'Outdoor Elevator' ve 'Needle Men' parçalarında bas gitar çalan, Brenda Kahn'ın 1996 yılında piyasaya çıkan 'Destination Anywhere' albümünde yer alan 'Faith Salon's' parçasında hem vokal yapıp hem gitar çalan, Patti Smith'in 'Gona Again' albümünde yer alan 'Beneath The Southern Cross' parçasında vokal yapan Jeff Buckley'di. Ayrıca Jack Kerouac için yapılan tribute albümde sanatçının adı 'Angel Mine' adlı parçada geçiyor. Buckley; Edgar Allen Poe'nun şiirlerinin yer aldığı 'Closed On Account Of Rabies' albümünde Poe'nun 'Ulallume - A Ballad' adlı şiirini okurken de dinlenebilir. Shudder To Think'in 'First Love, Last Rites' filmi için hazırladığı soundtrack için Buckley, 'I Want Someone Badly' adlı parçayı seslendirdi. 2000 yılında ise Buckley'nin bir arkadaşı Los Angeles'ta beraber kaydetmiş oldukları 'Hollywuold' adlı parçayı yayınladı.
Sanatçının 13 Mayıs 1995 tarihinde Şikago'daki The Cabaret Metro'da verdiği konser görüntülerinden oluşan "Jeff Buckley-Live in Chicago" hem DVD hem VCD olarak Colombia Records tarafından piyasaya sürüldü.
23 Ağustos 1994'de "Grace" albümünün yayınlanmasının ardından Jeff Buckley ve grubu 1994-1996 yıllarını "Unknown", "Mystery White Boy" ve "Hard Luck" adlarında verdikleri turnelerde geçirmişti. Jeff Buckley- Mystery White Boy bu turneler sırasında yapılan kayıtların gerek seçilmiş cover parçalar gerek daha önce hiç bir yerde yayınlanmamış parçaların en önemlilerini bir araya getiren; arşiv niteliğinde bir albüm olma özelliğini taşıyor. Bu albümün prodüktörlüğünü Grace albümü kayıtları ve turnesi sırasında grubun gitaristi olan Michael Tighe ve Jeff'in annesi Mary Guilbert yaptı.
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JEFF'S BIOGRAPHY
Jeff Buckley was born in California's Orange County in 1966 and died in a tragic drowning accident in Memphis on May 29, 1997. He had emerged in New York City's avant-garde club scene in the 1990's as one of the most remarkable musical artists of his generation, acclaimed by audiences, critics, and fellow musicians alike. His first commercial recording, the four-song EP Live At Sin-e, was released in December 1993 on Columbia Records. The EP captured Buckley, accompanying himself on electric guitar, in a tiny coffeehouse in New York's East Village, the neighborhood he'd made his home.
By the time of the EP's release during the fall of 1993, Buckley had already entered the studio with Mick Grondahl (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", Benjamin Britten's "Corpus Christi Carol") that comprised his debut album Grace. Guitarist Michael Tighe became a permanent member of Jeff Buckley's ensemble and went on to co-write and perform on Grace's "So Real" just prior to the release of the album.
In early 1994, not long after Live At Sin-e appeared in stores, Jeff Buckley toured clubs, lounges, and coffeehouses in North America as a solo artist from January 15-March 5 as well as in Europe from March 11-22. Following extensive rehearsals in April-May 1994, Buckley's "Peyote Radio Theatre Tour" found him on the road with his band from June 2-August 16. His full-length full-band album, Grace, was released in the United States on August 23, 1994, the same day Buckley and band kicked off a European tour in Dublin, Ireland; the 1994 European Tour ran through September 22, with Buckley and Ensemble performing at the CMJ convention at New York's Supper Club on September 24. The group headed back into America's clublands for a Fall Tour lasting from October 19-December 18.
On New Year's Eve 1994-95, Buckley returned to Sin-e to perform a solo set; on New Year's Day, he read an original poem at the annual St. Mark's Church Marathon Poetry Reading. Two weeks later, he and his band were back in Europe for gigs in Dublin, Bristol, and London before launching an extensive tour of Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and the United Kingdom which lasted from January 29-March 5. On April 13 1995, it was announced that Jeff Buckley's Grace had earned him France's prestigious "Gran Prix International Du Disque -- Academie Charles CROS -- 1995"; an award given by a jury of producers, journalists, the president of France Culture, and music industry professionals, it had previously been given to Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Yves Montand, Georges Brassens, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell, among other musical luminaries. France also awarded Buckley a gold record certification for Grace.
From March 5 through April 20, Buckley and his band rehearsed for an American spring tour with gigs running from April 22-June 2. From June through August, Jeff and company toured the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland. The band took off for Down Under to play six Australian shows between August 28-September 6, 1995. In November 1995, Buckley played two unannounced solo shows at Sin-e. He performed songs including the new "Woke Up In A Strange Place" on Vin Scelsa's "Idiot's Delight" show on WXRK-FM on December 17 and celebrated New Year's Eve 1995-96 with performances at New York's Mercury Lounge and Sin-e.
Jeff Buckley and his touring ensemble went back to Australia, where Grace had earned a gold record certification, for the "Hard Luck Tour," which ran from February 9-March 1 of 1996. Drummer Matt Johnson left the group after the final Australian show. The posthumous album Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy brings together some of the high points from Jeff's 1995-1996 live performances. The DVD/home video release Jeff Buckley-Live In Chicago documents, in its entirety, Jeff's concert at The Cabaret Metro in Chicago on May 13, 1995.
In May of '96, Jeff played four gigs as a bass player with Mind Science of the Mind, a side-project of Buckley's friend, Nathan Larson of Shudder To Think. In September '96, Buckley played another unannounced solo gig at his old favorite haunt Sin-e. December of 1996 found Jeff Buckley embarking on his "phantom solo tour"; designed to experiment with new songs in a live setting (as in his Sin-e days), these unannounced solo gigs throughout the Northeast U.S. were played under a succession of aliases: the Crackrobats, Possessed By Elves, Father Demo, Smackrobiotic, the Halfspeeds, Crit Club, Topless America, Martha & the Nicotines, and A Puppet Show Named Julio.
At midnight on February 9, 1997, Jeff Buckley debuted his new drummer, Parker Kindred, in a show at Arlene Grocery on New York's Lower East Side. He also played a couple of solo gigs in New York during the first months of 1997: a gig at the Daydream Cafe (featuring band members Mick Grondahl and Michael Tighe as "special guests") and a solo performance February 4 as part of the Knitting Factory's 10-Year Birthday Party.
Buckley and his band had recorded intermittently -- with Tom Verlaine as producer -- during Summer/Fall 1996 and early winter 1997 in New York and in February 1997 in Memphis. After the conclusion of those sessions, Jeff sent the band back to New York while, during March and April 1997, he remained in Memphis and continued to craft his work-in-progress, making various four-track home recordings of songs to present to his bandmates. Some of these were revisions of the songs recorded with Verlaine, some were brand new compositions, and some were surprising cover versions. The new lineup debuted Buckley's new songs at Barrister's in Memphis on February 12 and 13. Beginning March 31, Jeff began a series of regularly scheduled Monday night solo performances at Barrister's. His last show there was on Monday, May 26, 1997. The night Buckley died, he was on his way to meet his band to begin three weeks of rehearsals for my sweetheart, the drunk; producer Andy Wallace, who'd helmed the boards on Grace, was to join them in Memphis in late June to record his new album.
In addition to his Columbia Records releases, Live At Sin-e and Grace, Jeff Buckley has appeared as a guest artist on several other recordings. He can be heard singing "Jolly Street," a track on the Jazz Passengers 1994 album In Love. He contributed tenor vocals to "Taipan" and "D. Popylepis," two recordings on John Zorn's Cobra Live At The Knitting Factory (1995). On Rebecca Moore's Admiral Charcoal's Song, Buckley plays electric six-string bass on "If You Please Me," "Outdoor Elevator," and "Needle Men" (on which he also plays drums). He both plays guitar and sings backup vocals on Brenda Kahn's "Faith Salons," a key track on her Destination Anywhere album (released 1996). Patti Smith's critically acclaimed Gone Again album features Buckley adding "voice" to the song "Beneath the Southern Cross" and "essrage" (a small fretless Indian stringed instrument) to "Fireflies." On kicks joy darkness, a various artists' spoken word tribute to beat poet Jack Kerouac, Jeff Buckley performed on "Angel Mine"; Jeff plays guitar, sitar, and mouth sax (adding words at the poem's conclusion) on the track. Buckley can be heard reading Edgar Allan Poe's "Ulallume - A Ballad," on Closed On Account Of Rabies (Poems & Tales by Edgar Allan Poe) on Mouth Almighty/Mercury Records. He sang "I Want Someone Badly" (Epic) for Shudder To Think's soundtrack to First Love, Last Rites. Sandy Bell, a friend of Buckley's during his L.A. days, released the resurrected track "Hollywould" in 2000, which she co-wrote and recorded with Buckley.
An ardent enthusiast for a myriad of musical forms, Jeff Buckley was an early champion among young American musicians for the work of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the world's foremost Qawwali (the music of the Sufis) singer. Buckley conducted an extensive interview with Nusrat in Interview magazine (January 1996) and wrote the liner notes Nusrat's The Supreme Collection album, released on Mercator/Caroline records in August 1997. On May 9, 2000, Columbia Records released Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy, an album of live performances, and Jeff Buckley-Live In Chicago, a full-length concert (available on DVD or VHS) recorded live at The Cabaret Metro in Chicago on May 13, 1995, in the midst of Jeff's "Mystery White Boy" tour.
Following the release of Grace on August 23, 1994, Jeff and his group spent much of 1994-1996 performing around the world on the Unknown, Mystery White Boy, and Hard Luck tours. Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy brings together, for the first time, some of the high points of those shows. Produced by Michael Tighe (guitarist for Jeff's band throughout their international touring and the recording of Grace) and Mary Guibert (Jeff's mother) and Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy provides an evocative cross-section of Jeff's repertoire: previously-unreleased Buckley compositions, electrifying live interpretations of songs from Grace, and obscure and marvelous cover choices. The recordings heard on Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy have been hand-picked from scores of concert tapes by Mary Guibert and the members of Jeff's band who played such a large role in helping Jeff realize his musical vision.
According to Mary, the tracks on Jeff Buckley-Mystery White Boy are "the individual performances that represented transcendent moments from each of the concerts we'd identified as being in the 'overall outstanding' category."
"It was obvious which performances were contenders for the record," concurs Michael Tighe, "and in some cases a performance would be so supreme and unpredictable that I knew it had to be brought to the public."
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