# Jeff Mercel
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{{short description|American musician}}
{{Notability|music|date=December 2015}}
'''Jeff Mercel''' is an American [multi-instrumentalist](/source/multi-instrumentalist), composer, and studio musician, best known for his time in the indie rock band, [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev).
==Early life and education==
Jeff Mercel attended SUNY Fredonia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1993.[{{cite web|author= |url=https://crew.mandy.com/us/view.php?uid=390208 |title=Mandy Crew US jobs | MandyCrew | Mandy Crew USA |publisher=Mandy Crew|date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}] In 1996, Mercel played drums with the band Grand Mal on their self-titled album released by Number Six Records.[{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/grand-mal-mw0000185872/credits |title=Grand Mal - Grand Mal | Credits |publisher=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) |date=1996-03-05 |accessdate=2015-12-07}}]
==Time with Mercury Rev==
Mercel first played with Mercury Rev on their breakthrough 1998 album, "Deserter's Songs",[{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/deserters-songs-mw0000043055/credits |title=Deserter's Songs - Mercury Rev | Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}] playing drums, both in studio and on tour. For the band's next album, 2001's "All is Dream", his role expanded to pianos, contributing to the arranging, mixing, and producing.[{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-is-dream-mw0000010142/credits |title=All Is Dream - Mercury Rev | Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=2001-09-11 |accessdate=2015-12-07}}] He stayed with Mercury Rev for the next nine years, playing on the albums "The Secret Migration" (2005),[{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-secret-migration-mw0000673417/credits |title=The Secret Migration - Mercury Rev | Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=2005-03-08 |accessdate=2015-12-07}}] "Hello Blackbird" (2006),[{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-blackbird-mw0001238552/credits |title=Hello Blackbird - Mercury Rev | Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=2006-10-02 |accessdate=2015-12-07}}] "Back to Mine" (2006), "Snowflake Midnight" (2008), and "Strange Attractor" (2008).[{{cite web|url=http://shop.mercuryrev.com/releases.html/ |accessdate=February 22, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418135803/http://shop.mercuryrev.com/releases.html |archivedate=April 18, 2012 |title=Releases Mercury Rev Webstore }}] In 2011 Mercel rejoined with the band for a world tour to promote the release of the double disc reissue of "Deserter's Songs."
==Work as a composer==
During his time with Mercury Rev, Mercel helped score the feature-length film, [Bye Bye, Blackbird](/source/Bye_Bye_Blackbird_(film)) (2005). In 2010, Mercel left working with Mercury Rev full-time to pursue work as a composer. His work has appeared in numerous television shows such as ''[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation](/source/CSI%3A_Crime_Scene_Investigation)'' on CBS, and Showtime's ''[This American Life](/source/This_American_Life_(TV_series))''. His work can also be heard in commercials for [BMW](/source/BMW), and a [Got Milk?](/source/Got_Milk%3F) ad campaign featuring [Salma Hayek](/source/Salma_Hayek).
Mercel has also worked in film scoring the animated short, ''Marvin'' (2010) starring Steve Coogan, and the live action shorts ''Daniel'' (2010), ''Chaser'' (2012), and ''Sam'' (2012). In 2012 he composed the music for the feature film "[5 Shells](/source/5_Shells)."[{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1598028/|title=Jeff Mercel|website=IMDb.com|accessdate=2015-12-07}}]
==Discography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Album !! Band !! Year
|-
| Grand Mal || Grand Mal || 1996
|-
| [Deserter's Songs](/source/Deserter's_Songs) || [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 1998
|-
| [All is Dream](/source/All_is_Dream) || [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 2001
|-
| [Secret Migration](/source/Secret_Migration)|| [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 2005
|-
| [Hello Blackbird](/source/Hello_Blackbird)|| [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 2006
|-
| [The Essential Mercury Rev](/source/The_Essential_Mercury_Rev)|| [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 2006
|-
| [Snowflake Midnight](/source/Snowflake_Midnight) || [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 2008
|-
| Strange Attractor || [Mercury Rev](/source/Mercury_Rev) || 2008
|}[{{cite web|author=Jeff Mercel |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-mercel-mn0000323860 |title=Jeff Mercel | Album Discography |publisher=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) |date= |accessdate=2015-12-07}}]
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| ''Bye, Bye, Blackbird'' || Feature || 2005
|-
| ''Marvin'' || Short || 2010
|-
| ''Daniel'' || Short || 2010
|-
| ''Chaser'' || Short || 2010
|-
| ''Sam'' || Short || 2012
|-
| ''[5 Shells](/source/5_Shells)'' || Feature || 2012
|}