Darren Jessee

Darren Jessee
Background information
Birth name	Darren Michael Jessee
Genres	Folk, alternative rock, lo fi acoustic
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, drummer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, drums, timpani
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Sony, Bar/None
Associated acts	Hotel Lights, Ben Folds Five, Sharon Van Etten
Website	www.hotellights.net

Darren Michael Jessee is an American drummer, songwriter, singer and member of the rock bands Ben Folds Five and Hotel Lights. In 2014, Jessee joined Sharon Van Etten's touring band.

Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in North Carolina, Jessee currently lives in Brooklyn. Ben Folds Five are known for energetic live shows and vocal harmonies. Jessee's drumming style has a strong jazz influence, from his longtime love of the genre. Referred to by WXPN's Bruce "Dan" Warren as "Ben Folds Five's secret weapon", Jessee formed Hotel Lights in 2003 after many years writing songs, playing drums, and touring in the trio. In his own band, Hotel Lights have had their songs featured in hit TV shows (Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill) and a major motion picture Baby Mama. The song "Sky High" written by Jessee and performed by Ben Folds Five was heard in ABC TV's Quantico.

Ben Folds, on a recent iTunes Originals compilation, credited the Jessee-penned chorus for "Brick" as the missing element to a song that he had tried to compose for a long time, remarking "I've never understood a hit chorus. I wish I did."

Darren can also be heard drumming on Josh Rouse's album Under Cold Blue Stars, released in 2002.

Discography

Ben Folds Five

• Ben Folds Five (1995)
• Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)
• Naked Baby Photos (1998)
• The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999)
• The Sound of the Life of the Mind (2012)

Hotel Lights

• Hotel Lights (2005)
• Goodnightgoodmorning (2006)
• Firecracker People (2008)
• Girl Graffiti (2011)

Songwriter

Hotel Lights is the project name for songwriter Darren Jessee. Notable Jessee songwriting contributions for Ben Folds Five include:

• "Magic" (Jessee) – The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner
• "Sky High" (Jessee) – The Sound of the Life of the Mind
• "Brick" (Folds / Jessee) – Whatever and Ever Amen
• "Song for the Dumped" (Folds / Jessee) – Whatever and Ever Amen
• "Kate" (Folds / Jessee /Anna Goodman) – Whatever and Ever Amen
• "Amelia Bright" (Jessee) – unreleased track performed live by the band 1999–2000; later featured on the Hotel Lights album Firecracker People. A 2000 studio version of the track by Ben Folds Five was included on Folds' retrospective album The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective (2011)
• "Leather Jacket" (Jessee) – No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees
• "Wandering" (Folds / Jessee) – Speed Graphic (Note: this is a Ben Folds solo EP)
• "Stumblin' Home Winter Blues" (Jessee) – originally released on Hotel Lights' self-titled debut album in 2006; later recorded by Ben Folds Five for The Best Imitation of Myself

External links

• Video interview with Darren Jessee on the Sodajerker on Songwriting podcast