JEFF KOLLMAN: LEAD GUITAR/VOCALS

From his humble Toledo, Ohio beginnings as a punk rockin’ kid, ascent to bonafide guitar hero with a plethora of albums under his belt, sideman to rock royalty and session ace, all with his impressive list of credentials as guitarist-songwriter-producer-to-the-stars, JEFF KOLLMAN, has done it all. Kollman is best known for his heavy, melodic electric guitar playing, fusing elements of Jazz harmony and creating his own brand of Rock.

With 18 band and solo releases on his label Marmaduke records formed in 1987, Jeff Kollman quietly cultivated a worldwide fanbase with his dynamic yet ferocious guitar style. Jude Gold of Guitar Player Magazine says “Kollman is the musical equivalent of an acetylene torch”!

Kollman has traveled the far reaches of the globe from the Kremlin Palace to Wembley Stadium, from Dubai to the Capetown Jazz Fests, from midwest metal with his original band Edwin Dare to the likes of Sebastian Bach (SkidRow), to gracing the the stage of the legendary Budokan more than 10 times with Japanese star Eikichi Yazawa.

Jeff has played with 3 of the five hall of fame inductees of 2016, including Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) & Danny Seraphine (Chicago). Kollman has recently co-created two signature guitar pedals having sold several hundred to guitar tone fanatics throughout the world. Toto guitarist Steve Lukather says “I Love the Kollman distortion pedal. The best one I’ve ever used. I wish it made me play like him, but I’m stuck with me. Ha Ha! Jeff and I are buds and I think the world of his playing”.

Jeff Kollman has reached the top 25 list of favorite guitarists numerous times with magazines such as U.K.’s Guitar Techniques, Guitar On The Edge and Young Guitar magazine – Japan. Kollman states“Music is not a competition and the guitar is extremely humbling. I will say it’s a nice feeling to be included in a short guitar hero list with say Jeff Beck & Edward Van Halen”.

Honing his chops by studying the likes of Randy Rhoads, Gary Moore and EVH after being given a guitar by his dad at age 12, Jeff’s early musical ventures included recording his own instrumental tunes on a 4-track with brother Tommy on drums. Jeff studied in his teens with Jazz legend Gene Parker and classical guitar great Ken Hummer. By the early 90’s, Jeff had joined the guild of virtuoso shredders releasing albums both as a solo artist and with his progressive metal band Edwin Dare who had a strong live draw in the Midwest and a success in Japan with three albums. Jeff was honored by the Mayor of his hometown in Toledo on May 15th,1993 (Jeff Kollman Day) for his musical accomplishments with hardcore punk band ‘The Stain’. Kollman has since gone on to placing his songs in over 250 major motion pictures, movie Trailers and TV series.

Moving to Phoenix, AZ in 1995 and getting involved in session work, Jeff’s career took a decisive turn when he crossed paths with Canadian drummer Shane Gaalaas, then with MSG, which led to the formation of his long running prog fusion trio, Cosmosquad, and prompted another move further West to Los Angeles in 1997. “When I got to L.A. I was on the G3 tour with Michael Schenker and headlined by Joe Satriani. Two weeks after the tour I got a call to audition for rock Legends U.F.O. and started working on an album immediately with those british rock stars that were my childhood heroes”. Jeff wrote and recorded two albums with UFO Singer Phil Mogg including Mogg/Way ‘Chocolate Box’ and ‘Dancing With St. Peter’. U.F.O. (voted VH1’s 100 greatest rock bands) covered Jeff’s song ‘Dancing With St. Peter’ on their 2011 release ‘The Visitor’. 2003 saw Jeff get involved in various capacities with former Deep Purple and Trapeze star, Glenn Hughes, an on-and-off studio and road liaison which would result in much recording, writing and producing as well as spawn instrumental 70’s funk rock fusioneers, the Bombastic Meatbats, consisting of fellow Hughes alumni Chad Smith (of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame) and Ed Roth, rounded out by Jeff’s former Edwin Dare band mate, Kevin Chown. As a session player, Jeff has recorded with a diverse list of artists including R& B stars Jill Scott & Patti Labelle, country legends Miranda Lambert & Lyle Lovett, and producing rock legends Phil Mogg (UFO) Glen Hughes (DeepPurple) and Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow). Jeff has shared the stage with classic rock artists CTA including members of Chicago, David Pack of Ambrosia, Steve Walsh (Kansas), Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Fee Waybill (The Tubes), Bobby Kimball (Toto), Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship),Greg Rolie, Alex Ligertwood and Andy Vargas ( Santana alumni). In 2011 Kollman received an invite from Lord Charles March (The 10th Duke Of Richmond) to join in with Brian May of Queen as the artists to perform at Goodwood festival of Speed, a 50,000 acre estate with 130,000 in attendence. Famed Producer Alan Parsons (Pink Floyd, Beatles) asked Kollman to join his group for thirteen sold out shows in Europe- May of 2017.

Jeff has recorded many tributes to arists that have left this earth including ‘Jam For Jason’ written for guitar god Jason Becker who was diagnosed with A.L.S. in 1993. Kollman brought in Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse, Vinnie Moore, Nightranger’s Jeff Watson & Megadeth’s Chris Poland for the tribute. Kollman states “Music is such a powerful tool that brings people together and helps heal the soul”. Kollman and his blues outfit Bleeding Harp along with singer Dug Pinnick of King’s X have recorded a tribute to the late Greg Allman with their rendition of the classic song ‘Whipping Post’ due out summer of 2017.