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In demand as a clinician, Jeff's eclectic career finds him offering presentations on quite a variety of topics and to students from 6 to 60 (if they're older than 60, they need to teach Jeff!). Though presentations can be tailored to fit any situation, here are a few of Jeff's most often requested clinics.

Improvisation: A Melodic Approach

If Columbus was able to prove that the earth wasn't flat, than we can prove once and for all, there is more to jazz improvisation than the Bb Blues Scale. While continually addressing conventional approaches to jazz improvisation, Jeff discusses the importance of maintaining a close connection to melody vs. linking a string of patterns together during an improvised solo. This presentation stresses a non-threatening aural approach, minimizing, but not sidestepping, references to traditional theory and nomenclature. Remember, if someone you don't know approaches you on the street and offers you a Blues Scale-Just Say No!

Top Ten Reasons Your Jazz Band Took Second Place

Some band directors train their performing groups to do things that are specifically designed to impress adjudicators-and they definitely do make an impression, although probably not the one they were looking for. Drawing from many years of adjudicating jazz festivals, Jeff points out performance aspects most in need of improvement and gives tips on how simple it is to address these areas.

Rehearsal Techniques

The popular adage states, "Bands that perform well are bands that rehearse well." End of clinic. Seriously-Jeff draws on his experience as an in-demand conductor to share his techniques for making performing groups sound better in record time. Tips for developing time management skills during limited rehearsal times are discussed.

Listening Your Way To Success

"You need to listen to more jazz". These words are the mantra of every jazz clinician. Yet this is probably the single most neglected aspect of jazz education. But telling people to listen is not enough. Learning how to compartmentalize what you hear is key to making this data useful.

The Trumpet: How the heck do you work this thing, and why didn't it come with a manual?

Jeff takes a daunting topic and makes it fun, while offering a series of progress-intensive techniques that maximize the impact of practice sessions. Performance aspects discussed in this workshop are not limited to the jazz idiom.

Big Band Rhythm Sections-An Endangered Species

Why is it that one of the hottest selling instruments in music stores is the bass, but most school jazz bands don't have a bassist? Strategies for recruitment of rhythm sections are discussed, as well as what to do with them once you've found them! Often, the rhythm section is the most neglected group in the big band, while most of the attention is directed toward the horns. This clinic will show educators that do not play rhythm instruments how to engage these valuable players during rehearsals.

The Business Of Music

The image of the starving jazz artist comes from a bygone era. Now, more than ever before, professional jazz musicians have discovered that the music business consists of two words. Jeff outlines a step-by-step approach to effectively marketing your talents through conventional and creative means.

Career Development And Management

"What do I do if I'm not competitive as a performer, but don't want to teach?" A myriad of careers in the entertainment field are discussed, alone with prerequisite training. This topic can be combined with "The Business Of Music" or be presented as a stand-alone workshop.

Composing/Arranging

Jeff discusses techniques for immediate improvement in your writing, particularly addressing standardization of notation, commonly used but often misleading information, and targeting a specific age or ability level. Most importantly, Jeff discusses how writers should endeavor to make bands sound better, as opposed to making themselves look better.