was born in Torrance, California in 1957 and has been playing music since he was a teenager. He has recorded and performed live as a singer, bassist, guitarist, saxophonist, and on various other instruments. A prolific songwriter, his songs have been recorded by Kid Ramos, Saffire (The Uppity Blues Women), James Harman, Janiva Magness, Rick Holmstrom, Gary Primich and Julie Christensen.
Jeff is an in-demand instrumentalist and arranger. Lately he can be heard on bass, rhythm guitar, and all saxophones on Kid Ramos' spectacular "Greasy Kid Stuff" (Evidence Records), as well as playing bass and saxes (and engineering some of the tracks) on Rick Holmstrom's genre-defying "Hydraulic Groove" (Tone-Cool). He most recently produced the as-yet-unreleased solo debut of guitarist Enrico Crivellaro, found time to produce his own "Every Day's My Lucky Day" (Fat Head Records), has collaborated on three CD's with vocalist Janiva Magness, and held a long tenure in the James Harman Band, during which he played on three Harman releases and wrote two songs for James, including the popular "If The Shoe Fits (Wear It)". Jeff has said of his time with Harman, "James has a remarkable knack for improvising songs. You learn a lot when you have to create song settings on the spot."
In the last few years, Jeff has been leading his own band, playing guitar and saxophone and singing a mixture of "instant classics" and timeless blues that showcases his considerable range. His music encompasses influences as diverse as Jimmy Reed, Percy Mayfield, Randy Newman, and Thelonious Monk-- in short, the best of American music. Jim Washburn has written in the OC Weekly: "Jeff Turmes has long been one of the best supporting musicians in the local blues scene, playing bass and sax with James Harman and a host of others, and damn, if he isn't the gem that's been hiding in the coal pile."
The list of artists Jeff has backed live is extensive: Tom Waits (on the Tonight Show), Kim Wilson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jody Williams, Carrie Bell, Canned Heat, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, Billy Boy Arnold, Taj Mahal, Junior Watson, Lazy Lester, and many many others. He has had the good fortune to record with some of the artists above, as well as such giants as Gatemouth Brown and Charlie Musselwhite.
Music lovers the world over have seen and heard this enormous talent. Jeff Turmes is a gifted songwriter, singer and instrumentalist who brings a a wealth of experience to his work.
