Jeff Wootton

Jeff Wootton

Jeff Wootton by Jill Furmanovsky
Background information
Birth name Jeffrey Wootton
Born 12 May 1987
Manchester, England
Genres alternative rock, experimental music, ambient
Occupation(s) Musician, guitarist songwriter
Instruments Guitar, bass guitar
Years active 2007–present
Associated acts Gorillaz
Damon Albarn
Damo Suzuki
Africa Express
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Beady Eye
The Black Marquee
Website www.jeffwootton.net
Notable instruments
Fender Jaguar
Fender Jazzmaster
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson ES-355
Fender Telecaster

Jeffrey Wootton (born 12 May 1987) is an English guitarist and songwriter from Manchester. He has played lead guitar with Damon Albarn in Gorillaz[1] alongside Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash and is currently working on his first album as well as playing lead guitar with Damon Albarn on his solo project.[2]

He has also collaborated with Nick Zinner,[3] Brian Eno[4], Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Damo Suzuki from Can and Unkle.

In 2013 Wootton joined Damon Albarn, Brian Eno, Nick Zinner and several other musicians and producers on a trip to Mali, in West Africa to record an album as part of Africa Express.[5]

On 24 November 2014, Jeff along with composer Andre de Ridder, Nick Zinner, Brian Eno and Damon Albarn released an 41-minute African version of Terry Riley's iconic 1964 minimalist piece In C with local Mali musicians through Transgressive Records.[6]

Musical career

Wootton joined Gorillaz as their lead guitarist in 2010. Gorillaz kicked off their first ever world tour to rave reviews with performances including headlining Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Glastonbury and Roskilde with guest performances by Lou Reed, Mos Def, Bobby Womack, Mark E. Smith, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Snoop Dogg, De La Soul and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. They were the first British band to play a gig in Damascus, Syria [7]

After the departure of Noel Gallagher of Oasis, At the age of 22, Wootton was recruited by Liam Gallagher to play in Beady Eye.[8][9] He joined Beady Eye on stage for the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, performing "Wonderwall" with the band. In 2013 after a world tour and playing on their second album BE, he left to pursue his own musical project.[10]

Wootton performed with Damon Albarn again in early 2013 as Electric Wave Bureau at Hackney Picturehouse.[11]

In 2013 Wootton made a trip to Bamako, Mali in West Africa with Damon Albarn, Brian Eno, Nick Zinner and other musicians to record an album as part of Africa Express collective. Maison Des Jeunes was released on 9 December 2013.[12]

As of 2014 he is working on his first album and playing in The Heavy Seas.[13] On 15–16 November 2014, Damon Albarn & The Heavy Seas' performances at The Royal Albert Hall were recorded to be edited into a live album. The project was released as a two-disc album called Live at the De De De Der.[14]

In 2015 he appeared in Noel Gallagher's music video Ballad of the Mighty I which was released on 12 January 2015.[15]

He started the website Sympathy For Vinyl as a platform to release his more experimental compositions and collaborations.

References

  1. ↑ "Damon Albarn recruits Liam Gallagher's bandmember for Gorillaz". 25 March 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "Damon Albarn to release first solo LP on Parlophone". 20 Jan 2014. Retrieved 20 Jan 2014.
  3. ↑ "Nick Zinner’s 41 Strings comes to UK". 19 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "Watch Damon Albarn and Brian Eno’s 40-minute tribute to Terry Riley’s ‘In C’ with Africa Express". 26 Jan 2015. Retrieved 26 Jan 2015.
  5. ↑ "Damon Albarn In Mali on Africa Express mission to bring music back". 21 Oct 2013. Retrieved 26 Oct 2013.
  6. ↑ "Damon Albarn, Brian Eno, Nick Zinner Cover Terry Riley's 'In C' with Africa Express". 19 Nov 2014. Retrieved 19 Nov 2014.
  7. ↑ "Gorillaz become first British band to perform in Damascus". 26 July 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Live4ever’s Interview With Rock’s Greatest Frontman ‘Liam Gallagher’ – Part II". 28 March 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Gorillaz Star Is Member Of Liam Gallagher's New Band!". 25 March 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "Liam Gallagher unveils new Beady Eye track at London club This Feeling". 11 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  11. ↑ "Damon Albarn Gigography 2013". 4 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Africa Express: Maison des Jeunes – review". 8 Dec 2013. Retrieved 8 Dec 2013.
  13. ↑ "Damon Albarn names solo band". 28 Feb 2014. Retrieved 4 Mar 2014.
  14. ↑ http://abbeyroadlive.sandbag.uk.com/Store/DisplayArtist.html?CatID=5702&ViewTourID=5703
  15. ↑ "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Ballad Of The Mighty I - YouTube". 12 January 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2015.