Biography

Jeff Henderson is a well-known solo improviser and multi-instrumentalist. A specialist on saxophones and clarinet, Jeff also plays guitar, banjo, piano, percussion, uses voice, and anything else that the music requires.

Born in 1973, Jeff attended the Wellington Conservatorium of Music, graduating in 1992. He has performed with such internationally renowned musicians as Steve Lacy, Mark Sanders, Tony Buck, William Parker, Han Bennink, Clifford Barbaro, Mike Nock, Jim Denley, Thomas Lehn, Johannes Bauer, Tetuzi Akiyama, Marilyn Crispell, Anthony Pateras, Clayton Thomas, Anthony Donaldson, Gerard Crewdson, Richard Nunns, John Edwards and Kris Wanders.

Jeff has an extensive history as an accompanist and participant in, and composer for, live musical theatre and other collaborative works including numerous projects with Alan Brunton and Sally Rodwell of Red Mole Theatre, Stephen Bain and Madeline MacNamara. He has been involved in music for film, including recipient of the Harriet Friedlander Residency, Florian Habicht’s documentary feature Rubbings from a Live Man and has also performed with Stroma, placing a foot in the contemporary/classical camp. He has received several major commissions, often for large ensembles and features on numerous recorded releases. Jeff has performed at many major national and international festivals throughout Australia, Asia and Europe. He currently performs with the bands Fertility Festival, The Melancholy Babes and Colin McCabre. He produces the Om the Space Festival and runs iiii records.

Jeff has also founded venues in Wellington that foster new and original music and performance; including at the Space in Newtown which changed to a central city location now known as Happy, which Jeff operates.