Aaron Comess is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band Spin Doctors, known for his work as a drummer, songwriter, and producer. He has contributed to over 200 albums with a range of artists, including Joan Osborne, Bilal, Rachael Yamagata, Isaac Hayes, and Marc Cohn.
In recent years, Comess has released original instrumental albums under his name, starting with Catskills Cry in 2006, followed by Beautiful Mistake (2011), Blues for Use (2014), and The Aaron Comess Quintet (2015). He describes his approach to music as similar to filmmaking, where each song represents a new scene, aiming for every note to have meaning.
Comess leads three bands: the Aaron Comess Trio, which performs original instrumental music; the Aaron Comess Quintet, which focuses on straight-ahead jazz; and Aaron Comess and the Air Conditioned Gypsies, a collective emphasizing improvisation.
He recently received a Grammy nomination for Best Blues Record for his work on Joan Osborne’s album Bring It On Home. The Spin Doctors have released a new studio album, If The River Was Whiskey, which was recorded at Comess’s NYC studio, His House-Innsbruck Studios.
Comess has performed live and on television with various artists, including Joan Osborne, Natasha Bedingfield, Edie Brickell, and Andrea Bocelli. He remains active in the NYC jazz and experimental music scenes and produces music at His House Studio. Photos from his performance with Spin Doctors at the Meskwaki Casino on July 6, 2019.