Darren Jessee


Darren Michael Jessee is an American drummer, songwriter and singer best known as a member of the alternative rock trio Ben Folds Five. In 2014 and 2015, Jessee joined Sharon Van Etten's touring band. On March 4, 2016, Jessee released Hotel Lights' album Get Your Hand in My Hand, and later that year he joined Hiss Golden Messenger from July 2016 through March 2018. Jessee released his first solo album, The Jane, Room 217, on August 24th, 2018, to near-universal acclaim from critics.
Jessee formed indie band Hotel Lights in 2004 after many years writing songs, playing drums, and touring in the trio. Ben Folds, on an 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.
Darren can also be heard drumming on the song "Strangest Thing" from The War on Drugs' 2017 album A Deeper Understanding, Hiss Golden Messenger's Hallelujah Anyhow, and Josh Rouse's album Under Cold Blue Stars, released in 2002.

Discography

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