Jeff Mattson

Who is Jeff Mattson?

Jeff Mattson is an American musician. A founding member of the jam band, the Zen Tricksters, and guitarist in the Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson, which features the Grateful Dead’s Donna Jean Godchaux, Mattson was named the permanent lead guitarist for Dark Star Orchestra. in November,2009. A veteran of 30 years on the road, Mattson is a guitar player whose playing ranges from rock & roll to blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, and folk, with a healthy dose of psychedelia. Jeff is also a strong original songwriter and his work is prominently featured on five albums, including several pieces co-written with band mate Donna Jean. He is a co-writer of “Leave Me Out of This,” a track on Phil Lesh and Friends Sony CD, "There and Back Again." He is known for delivering heart-wrenching vocals as well as his ever-present desire to explore new musical terrain with his fellow musicians. Jeff was asked to audition for Phil Lesh & Friends in the fall of 1999 and in October 1999, Jeff and then Zen Trickster keyboard player, Rob Barraco, played three shows with Phil Lesh and Friends at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco. 1999.