Playing saxophone since age 11, Coffin began performing professionally at age 13 with a dance band in Maine, AJ's Combo, led by his middle school band leader Aurthur Lagassee.
Later, at the University of North Texas in Denton, he played in one of the nation's top jazz ensembles, the One O'Clock Lab Band.
He would move to Nashville in 1991 where he would be in high demand for his talents as a performer, arranger and educator. Throughout the early 90's he would perform regularly with his own jazz ensemble, Jeff Coffin & the Jazz Boys, along with several other musically diverse groups - including Max Carl & Big Dance (R&B), Orkestra Mondo Pingus (Latin), Victor Mecyssny (Pop/Blues) and The Sizzle Donkeys (Acid Jazz).
In constant demand as a sideman for live shows, Coffin has performed with such musical greats as Sheryl Crow, Bruce Springsteen and Don Henley to name a few.