JEFF JACOBS BAND

Jeff Jacobs Band

 

      The Jeff Jacobs Band has teetered between many different genres, it’s hard to say what they actually “fit in”. This is primarily due to the inspirations of main songwriter,  Jeff Jacobs. “Ideas come from anywhere and from every genre. So, if you want every song to sound like the last one you heard then you picked the wrong band.” The new album “Out of The Keg” definitely stresses this point with its rock, blues, and country tones.

  

       The band started in 2012 with San Antonio veteran musicians Jeff Jacobs and Nathan Schmidt. Together they recruited CJ Gore and Jeff Cox to finish the lineup. After two album releases and much touring, in 2018 the band played their final shows as the original lineup due to personal circumstances. Jeff Jacobs rebuilt the band from the ground up, recruiting new musicians between 2018 and 2019. Among these musicians are Frank Torres(drums), Newman Ramzel(lead guitar), and Jon Hernandez(Bass). Jeff Jacobs, retained the band name stating, “I’ve been asked if this means if I went solo and if I should change the band name. I think to myself that would be a dishonor to my brothers who contributed to this band. So going into 2019 and until I feel that this project is done, this will remain the Jeff Jacobs Band in tribute to them.”  

 

      "Out of the Keg" has out sold both previous albums, racked up over 250,000 streams since its release in January 2020, and has two charting singles. "The pandemic has really taken a toll on our band but our fans kept it alive with all their support." Hitting the road anywhere the road takes them is now their driver. "As long as you keep listening we will keep playing!!" 

   

 

 

Jeff Jacobs

       Coming from a broken home, Jeff , his Mom, and older brother grew up on the south side of San Antonio. "It wasn't the safest place to live but my Mom had no choice and did the best she could to give us home." He started writing music and lyrics when he was thirteen thanks to his brother that taught him some chords a few years prior. "All I wrote was love songs at first trying to get girls but my past soon climbed into the seat and  some of my writing became more poetic and deep. "

   Jeff started his first band in High School which eventually broke up due to personal issues. "We were all living in different worlds at the time that just didn't mix."

   Jeff met a girl after High School and became a father at 18. " I still remember that day when I won Pantera tickets on the radio station and then she called the same day. It just seemed right."  They were married only a few short years before Jeff filed for divorce due and ongoing drug problem of his wife and fear of his kids safety. "I knew I had to get custody of my kids and she knew that too." She passed away a few years later and Jeff had to put his music career on hold. "My kids come first and I was going to make dam sure I was a better father than my father was and I don't regret anything."

    Through those years of raising his kids he took weekend cover band gigs for extra money and kept writing songs. He also revived his first band Distorted Reality with new members which broke up a few years into performing. "I was faced once again making a choice of family or music and not just for myself. We all struggled juggling our lives and it was not worth breaking up three families." It wasn't long after when Jeff and his second wife divorced leaving him again as a single father. "Music has alway been a love and I can't just give it up. It wasn't the only reason we divorced but it did play a part."

    As the kids grew Jeff once again started playing more and fronted his first cover band but grew weary that his songs were not alway included in the sets and often left out when performing. The band broke up which led the Jeff Jacobs Band in 2013 which would focus primarily on original songs and less on covers. "I was unbelievably happy with this band and felt we had so much potential to make this a new chapter in our lives". Releasing a self recorded album and a EP the band went on the road but in 2018 the line up changed. "To this day this band has established a name for me in the music business and I appreciate everyone who has made this band a success."

     In 2020 when the pandemic hit the U.S. it kept Jeff from making this his full time job. "I was at the point where the daytime job was no longer needed but then this crap happened." This opened a door to revisit some of his other musical endeavors like writing, recording, and producing. "I was like fuck this! If I have to be stuck in a house I need to find away to be productive." This brought to life a new set of projects including Plumb Druthers, Plain Oddity, and Here's To Nothing. "I have so many things to record and write about and won't stop until I release them all" 

Frank Torres

      Frank Torres grew up on the southside of San Antonio, coincidentally blocks away from Jeff. Frank loved music and drumming from a very early age. Beginning with beating empty tamale buckets with short tree branches, Frank then played saxophone from middle to high school. Frank went on and studied music at The University of the Incarnate Word. Always obsessed with drumming, Frank pursued joining a variety of bands playing drums and percussion with styles ranging from rock, latin, country, blues, metal, and reggae. In late 2019 he answered an ad from an established Texas country band called Jeff Jacobs Band. Since joining the group Frank has played in numerous cities and towns in Texas and Oklahoma. "I consider myself blessed in getting to write and perform music with my best friends."

Jonathan Hernandez

    Jonathan was born in San Antonio and grew in a small Texas town called Poth. It was there he started playing bass guitar and singing in various bands. "My 1st band was a garage band that hated country music and we each had a change jar to save up band funds... so I've always been a broke musician!" 

      He soon started writing his own music and learned to play rhythm guitar. With no formal music education,  Jonathan has been self taught every step of the way. "It started with my grandmother giving me piano lessons in Spanish- that I didn't understand- but I loved every minute of it... I've been blessed, fortunate, unlucky & wise enough to surround myself with amazing musicians and would learn what I could from them" 

     Jonathan Hernandez auditioned for the Jeff Jacobs Band mid 2019. He also released his own EP last year during quarantine. "I hope to continue to grow with Jeff and the guys and join in writing some tunes for the next album"