Jeff Coffey
Original songs give a glimpse into artists’ moods, or an expression of their soul. What then, do you say about an artist with more than 30 years of professional music experience, giving his ode to the voices and music that shaped him? You say the same. It’s an extension of his soul. In Origins - Vocalists And The Songs That Made Me, bassist and singer Jeff Coffey conveys the soundtrack of his life, an uninterrupted hitsville.
Listening to the 14 tracks on Origins - Vocalists And The Songs That Made Me is like excavating a who’s who of rock royalty, with some lighter pop rock or bluesy tracks sprouting here and there. What never changes, underneath the wide-reaching guitars, or nostalgic keys (especially in “Ask The Lonely”), is a singer that shows gratitude and warmth. He loves these songs and in turn, the listener is right alongside him cheering. Hearing him sing these tracks is peering into Coffey’s soul.
Some of the songs that stand out the most are also some of the more lesser-known tracks by big artists. In “When We Dance”, a sleeper hit for Sting in 2000, Coffey shares the sentimental tone and the heartbreak as his fellow bass guitarist. It’s hard to know if Coffey chose this piece because of Sting’s influence as a singing-bassist, but one would have thought something more from the Police era.
Coffey’s choice voice is soothing and drills a loving, emotive feeling to the listener. As a listener, I wanted to escape into his voice.
Another surprise came with the 1990 Jude Cole gem, “Baby It’s Tonight”. Right after, though it’s not his signature hit, Bryan Adam’s 1984 “It’s Only Love” garnered a Grammy nod for Best Rock Performance. Coffey’s version features Payton Taylor, American Idol Season 17 contestant. Taylor’s country twang enlightens Coffey’s deeper vocals, resulting in an up-tempo Americana tinge. Coffey turns back the clock a few years with the next tracks, “Maggie May” and “Maybe I’m Amazed”. Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney’s hits are being well-taken-care-of within Coffey’s recordings. The bass line in “Maggie May” is on fire. Coffey’s work is exceptional. He’s missing some of the cheekiness of Stewart, but honors the song just the same. The backing music is sharp and doesn’t seem to have lost any luster…much like the overplayed radio (Stewart) version has.
The last three songs, “New York Minute”, “Waiting For A Girl Like You” and “Who Wants To Live Forever” cap off a stellar collection. What I learned in “New York Minute”, besides the slower tempo Coffey still mastering the speed, is that Don Henley’s 1989 track has little nuances just right for a singer like Coffey. I think he adds more personality to the song, more zest. in “Waiting For A Girl Like You”, Coffey takes on the challenge of both the synthesizer and vocalist Lou Graham of Foreigner. He’s triumphant on both fronts. The keys drop note after note, stepping stones to the artist’s soul. Just like all of these tracks, Coffey’s renditions are proof of these song’s longevity.
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Trace Whittaker
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
9/2020
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