As a youth, he gained national recognition as one of the most promising young jazz musicians of his generation. At age 18, he was named “Presidential Scholar for the Arts in Jazz” by the US Dept. of Education, and was awarded an artist grant by the National YoungArts Foundation, among other honors. He was also awarded a full tuition scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, where he completed one year of coursework before matriculating at Columbia University.
For the past decade, Jeff has been touring and recording with many of the biggest names in bluegrass and folk music, including a 5-year run with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. He performs and records frequently with Sarah Jarosz, East Nash Grass, and others. In 2023, he began touring with legendary progressive bluegrass band Nickel Creek.
Jeff’s solo material, including his debut record, “With the Bass in Mind,” and his sophomore release, “Liquid Architecture,” reimagines the contemporary string band, drawing on the harmonic, metric, and improvisational intrigue of his jazz background, while never straying too far from the front porch.
When he’s not on the road, Jeff is Nashville based, where he works frequently on the Grand Ole Opry and as a session player.
Jeff Picker: Bass
Billy Contreras: Fiddle
Sarah Jarosz: Octave Mandolin (3, 4, 6, 8, 10), Mandolin (7)
Dominick Leslie: Mandolin (1, 2, 5, 10)
Eddie Barbash: Alto Saxophone
Shaun Richardson: Guitar (1, 2, 4-6, 7, 10)
Ron Block: Guitar (3, 8), Banjo (8)
Randy Porter: Acoustic Piano (9)
Kai Welch: Organ, Synth
1. The Unfinished Path
2. Borderlands
3. Realm of Refuge
4. The Gardener and the Orchid
5. Night Terrors
6. New Meditation
7. Cheese Wheel Chase
8. Road to Paristown/Sheldon's Reel
9. Resonance
10. The Winds of Spring
