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Laughing Through Your Fingers |
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Originally from Long Island, NY, Jeff played saxophone for seven years before switching to guitar in 1978. He then started playing in various rock bands including an “Yngwie Malmsteen” cover band around NY, and in 1984, attended the Jazz/Commercial Music Program at Five Towns College. In 1990, Jeff moved to LA, California, where he graduated with honors from GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology), and played in several bands during his "Hollywood daze". Five years later, Jeff worked as a second engineer for music studio, “The Candy Store,” under producers Jay Oliver (Sheryl Crow, Jimmy Buffett, Glen Frey, Dave Weckl) and Scott Spock (Avril Lavigne, Liz Larin).
Hearing that Scott’s project, Liz Larin (Detroit based female singer/ songwriter), was looking for another guitarist, Jeff auditioned and got the gig on the spot. Along with Liz, he joined keyboardist/producer Scott Spock (of hit writing machine, “The Matrix”), and Randy Jacobs ("Was, Not Was", studio guitarist for Rolling Stones, Seal, etc). “I was honored to have shared the stage with Randy.”
Jeff took a hiatus from music for several years in order to start a family and moved to North Carolina. Following a divorce in 2008, Jeff made music his passion again by concentrating, learning and re-learning other various instruments including: dumbek and djambe drums, harmonica, flute, piano, soprano and tenor recorders. Jeff now enjoys playing with Laughing Through Your Fingers (LTYF), performing concerts at his place of work, along with working with cellist/girlfriend Kristen Van Dyke on a recorder/cello wedding project. Jeff is looking forward to future collaborations with the members of LTYF to add original material and to put LTYF on the map in Raleigh.