Jeff with Sergio Mendes
Portland, Oregon critics have called Jeff's original jazz "glorious, captivating, intriguing, and exotic." Theater reviewers have praised his Music Direction as "extremely tight, with drive and balance." Unwilling to be pigeonholed as a jazz, pop, classical or theater music artist, Jeff has forged a long and successful career based in Portland, but with a worldwide reach, as that rare breed of musician who, in the words of another reviewer, "does it all, and does it all with panache and grace."
Among Jeff's many noteable achievements: national composing grants from, among others, the National Endowment for the Arts, Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest Fund, Pew Charitable Trusts and Nautilus Music Theater; commissions/fellowships to create music in such diverse genres as free jazz (for Portland's Art in Public Spaces series) and opera (for the Resident Artists of Portland Opera); longterm house pianist at several upscale lounges and clubs; over eight years as featured artist and special material writer aboard a cruiseship; numerous Music Directing and original underscoring credits for virtually all of Portland's major and alternative theater companies; numerous television performing credits; television soundtracks, including Portland's first-ever CableACE nominated production; and frequent music direction and special material writing for nationally known theater and cabaret artists, including Susannah Mars, Michele Mariana, and Broadway's Tony-nominated Brooks Ashmanskas.
JazzScene has raved about Jeff's "encyclopedic knowledge of American popular song." Whether playing and singing Gershwin or Sting, Porter or Duncan Sheik, Jeff's amazing repertoire has delighted audiences for decades.
Jeff's vocal jazz group Aqabala won Jazziz Magazine's International Vocals on Fire Contest, one of only 14 winners deemed "Voices of the New Jazz Culture," and was featured in the magazine and on its accompanying CD. Legendary Oscar-winning songwriter Ray Evans has said of Jeff's winning composition "Wasn't It Spring Yesterday?", "I admire the musicianship, writing and performance. I could not write the poetic lyric Jeff has."
Among the many renowned composers, performers and educators with whom Jeff has studied in his undergraduate and post-graduate career are Vladimir Ussachevsky, Roy Harris, Joe Henderson, Jacques Loussier, Billy Taylor, Bruce Reich, Henry Wolking, and David Schiff.
Jeff has recorded and/or performed with such incredible talents as John Stowell, Suzi Stern, Nancy King, Dave Captein, Ron Leach, Al Criado, Gary Harris, Paul Mazzio, Susannah Mars, Michele Mariana, Brooks Ashmanskas, Corey Brunish, Pam Mahon, Teresa Koon, Gary Cash and Chrisse Roccaro, among countless others. Each of these gifted artists has helped make Jeff the genre-defying musician he is today.
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