Jeff Cotton

The Fantasy Of Reality

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Jeff was born May 31, 1948.  His professional musical career started with a band called The Exiles, which had local hits in the Los Angeles area in 1964 and also co-founded Blues in a Bottle.  

He is an American rock guitarist, known among other musical formations, for his work as a member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band.  Jeff contributed his unique musical and challenging bottleneck guitar skills to - Strictly Personal - Trout Mask Replica (for which he was also known as Antennae Jimmy Semens) and Mirror Man.  

Jeff left the Magic Band in 1970 to pursue his musical career as co-founder of the band MU.  MU recordings became critically acclaimed.

He retired as an active professional musician in 1975 and started a business and dedicated his full time as a husband and father.

 

BAND FORMATIONS

THE EXILES  - - Rhythm and Lead Electric Guitar - Vocals

THE INTRUDERS - Lead Electric Guitar- Vocals

THE ALLUSIONS - Lead Electric Guitar- Vocals

THE BOUNTYS - Rhythm and Lead Electric Guitar - Vocals

BLUES IN A BOTTLE - 1966-1067 - Lead Electric Guitar- Vocals

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & IS MAGIC BAND  1967-1969 - Lead Electric Guitar- Vocals

MU - 1970 Co-founder - Acoustic and Lead Electric Guitar - Bass Guitar - Keyboards - Bass Clarinet - Oboe - Harmonica -Vocals

Nā Pali - 1976  - Jeff appeared with the Hawaiian group Nā Pali during a benefit concert for George Helm's Kahoolawe to be returned to Hawaii's people last concert before his mysterious  disappearance. 

LAVA - 1984 - with his late wife Erna, playing many art exhibits and benefit concerts during this period in Hawaii

Instruments: Acoustic and Electric Guitar  Soprano Sax  Electric Bass 

DISCOGRAPHY

THE EXILES

Please Be Mine

 

BEFFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND

Personal 1968 
Trout Mask Replica 1969 
Mirror Man 1967 - released in 1971

Instruments: Acoustic and Electric Guitar  Soprano Sax  Electric Bass

The Last Album 1974 - released in 1981
Children of the Rainbow 1974 - released in 1985

 

Studio albums 

 
Strictly Personal 
Trout Mask Replica 
Mirror Man