Jeff Jarvis, Smooth jazz Artist

Jeff Jarvis is the Director of Jazz Studies at the Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University Long Beach and the co-owner of Kendor Music, Inc., the first educational music publisher to provide jazz charts written especially for students. The Kendor catalog includes such names as Sammy Nestico, Thad Jones, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Don Sebesky, Maria Schneider, Bob Mintzer, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, John LaBarbera, and many more.

Jeff’s early career as a studio trumpeter in Philadelphia, Nashville, Los Angeles, and Denver encompasses over 100 albums for such names as Lou Rawls, MFSB, The O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, Spanky & Our Gang, Archie Bell & The Drells, Melba Moore, Michael Jackson, Spirit, Lou Rawls, Melissa Manchester, Crystal Gayle, Ronnie Milsap, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, and Jean Carne.

Born:

Genre: Jazz

As a younger player, Jeff’s background was primarily in classical music. He won a scholarship to Valley Forge Military Academy, where he performed several times for President Richard Nixon, General William Westmoreland, Mamie Eisenhower, Princess Anne of Great Britain, and many other prominent figures. At the age of sixteen, Jeff performed on a CBS recording of Tschaikowsky’s 1812 Overture, as performed by the Valley Forge Military Academy Band, the Philadelphia Orchestra (under the direction of Eugene Ormandy), and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Jarvis’ career as a solo recording artist began with two contemporary jazz releases for the Optimism label in Los Angeles, namely When It Rains and Golden Palm. Jeff then signed with Positive Music Records in Baltimore for two mainstream releases, A Better Place and Contents Under Pressure, both of which reached the top ten of the Gavin airplay charts. Amherst Records has released two of Jeff’s contemporary jazz recordings, the first being, “Following Footsteps”. It features such names as Bob Mintzer, Ernie Watts, Ndugu Chancler, “Ready” Freddie Washington, Grant Geissman, Shelly Berg, and Matt Harris. “Morning Drive” is Jeff’s latest release as a leader and was produced by contemporary jazz great Brian Culbertson. It features the talents of Brian Bromberg, Lenny Castro, Steve Cole, Oscar Seaton, Jr., Paul Jackson, Jr., Larry Kimpel, and Donnell Spencer, Jr.

Jeff’s live performance credits include Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Bellson, Joe Williams, Henry Mancini, John Hendricks, Slide Hampton, Kevin Mahogany, Joe Lovano, Jimmy Heath, Grady Tate, Doc Severinsen, Mel Lewis, Eddie Daniels, Bruce Johnstone, Bob Mintzer, Dave Koz, Barbara Mason, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Johnny Mathis, Chuck Mangione, The Smothers Brothers, The Four Tops, Don Rickles, John Denver, Jerry Vale, Bob Hope, Glenn Campbell, Rich Little, and Kathy Lee Gifford. He performs regularly with the Gap Mangione Big Band. He has performed with numerous Latino artists including Tito Rodriguez, Lefty Perez, Yolanda Rivera, and more.

Biographical information courtesy of YAMAHA; for more reading see link below.

https://au.yamaha.com/en/artists/j/jeff_jarvis.html