Jeff Kimmel is a Chicago-based bass clarinetist, improviser, composer and music presenter. His work encompasses a commitment to expand the timbral possibilities of the bass clarinet while presenting the instrument in a variety of formats, and he strives to foster a collaborative music community by facilitating opportunities for musicians.

Originally from Greenville, SC, Kimmel moved to Boston to attend the New England Conservatory of Music. Since relocating to Chicago in 2007, he has become an active part of the city's vibrant jazz and improvised music scene as a performer and concert organizer.

Currently, Jeff leads a quartet, which released its debut CD, Charm Offensive, to critical acclaim in 2011 and performs regularly with Marc Riordan’s ragtime project, The Great Crush. He has toured the U.S. and maintains a regular performing schedule of collaborations with local musicians such as: Fred Lonberg-Holm, Jeb Bishop, Tim Daisy, Keefe Jackson, Guillermo Gregorio, Frank Rosaly, Jason Roebke, Jason Stein, Brian Labycz, Jaimie Branch, Katie Young, David Moré and Jim Baker. Kimmel is a co-curator of the Protest Heaven series at Heaven Gallery. His work has been funded twice by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and in the fall of 2011, he was selected to attend a residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts.