Jeff's years of touring and performing with artists that represent a world of many different genres of music, has sparked the idea to present a multi-genre concert series around his percussion. It would be a "Percussive Journey Through Genres of Music." Jeff and his wife, Donna researched the grant and learned that it's a competitive grant with awards going to the likes of Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Bardavon Opera House and the Richard B. Fisher Center. Still if they could find the right partner they felt their concept was the sort of initiative that the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors were looking to fund, through the Music Fund. Thanks to the Dutchess County Arts Council, Jeff and Donna found their grant partner last Spring. DCAC connected them with Joan McAdam at Mount Saint Mary College's Center for Community and Educational Services. She was looking to bring in more cultural programs and classes through grants. She immediately got a charge out of Jeff's concept, but wanted to add another dimension to it by offering percussion classes for their 55+ and evening community program. Their "grand vision" took shape, as Jeff stacked up support from an incredible mix of phenomenal musicians that he's toured and recorded with over the course of his career --- his "percussive journey." Jeff mapped out a plan to showcase percussion to complement Classical Jazz with Christian Howes,Caribbean with Garvin Blake, Blues from Milwaukee with Paul Cebar and New Orleans with Chip Wilson, American Folk & New Age with Rebecca Martin and Sean Harkness, African with Samite of Uganda, Brazilian with Manny Moreira and Klezmer with C. Lanzbom.
In September, they submitted for a grant from the New York State Music Fund. The year ended in a high note when Jeff and the College received notice that they were granted the requested $58,000 to present two semesters of concerts and percussion classes free and open to the community!
