About Jeffrey

Dear Folks,

Long before I ever imagined standing on a stage myself, I was captivated by the world of motion picture musicals. Mary Poppins, Annie and The Wizard of Oz were among my favourites, and I watched them over and over again.

I was drawn not only to the songs, but to the larger-than-life characters, the moving stories and those extraordinary fantasy worlds suddenly coming alive on the big screen. Perhaps I was a little too easily carried away by it all. In my own little fantasy world, I could be quite the dreamer — and probably a little oversensitive for the liking of those around me.

At the age of seven, following the example of my elder sister, I entered the Belgian State Music School. She approached the piano with the dedication and discipline of a true musician. Her younger brother was perhaps a little more easily distracted — more of a dreamer than a disciplined student — but no less fascinated by this strange and wonderful world of music opening up around him.

The piano was more or less pre-defined as my instrument, so that became my first introduction to classical music. I learned the notes, the scales and, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, the discipline that came with them. But music was never really a predetermined path for me. It simply stayed with me, sometimes quietly in the background, sometimes much closer to the surface.

During my pilot training and subsequent studies in aerospace engineering, music became more of a companion than an objective in life — certainly not something I imagined making a living from. Then, around the age of thirty, an acoustic guitar somehow found its way into my hands and brought me back to music in a completely different way.

In a mixture of desperation and courage, I found myself standing on a small stage in a Bremen pub, strumming a guitar and singing Your Song. I was probably more nervous than I cared to admit. But I survived — and, more importantly, I discovered that I rather enjoyed being there.

What followed was not exactly a carefully planned career. I started appearing on open stages around Bremen, singing and playing guitar, and before long I found myself singing rock and pop in AirBuzz, the corporate Airbus cover band. I eventually spent six years as its lead singer.

Those years were a wonderful education in their own right. There is something about standing in front of a real audience that teaches you very quickly that music is not simply about getting the notes right. It is about listening, reacting, sharing a moment — and occasionally learning how to recover gracefully when things don't quite go according to plan.

Somewhere along the way, my childhood fascination with those great motion picture musicals came back into focus. Watching performers such as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, I became increasingly drawn to the elegance, rhythm and sheer joy of the Jazz & Swing Standards that had inspired so much of that era.

I was subsequently recommended to join the Underwater Big Band as lead singer. The ensemble later evolved into the AlgoRhythm Big Band, and with it came the privilege of discovering a completely different side of performing — the sound, discipline and camaraderie of a Big Band, and the wonderful tradition of the great singers who have stood in front of one.

Along the way, I have found inspiration in many artists who each left their own mark on the musical world I enjoy exploring today — from Jamie Cullum, Bobby Darin and Robbie Williams to Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé and Tony Bennett. Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and many others have likewise shaped my appreciation for the great Big Band and vocal traditions of the twentieth century.

I certainly don't pretend to follow in their footsteps. That would be a rather ambitious claim for someone who once stumbled onto a small Bremen stage with an acoustic guitar and a song by Elton John. I simply feel fortunate to have discovered a little of what made their music so special — and to have the opportunity to share some of that spirit with an audience in my own way.

And if there ever were to be another “Rat Pack”, please allow me to show you the (broad-)way to what our forefathers once knew as entertainment.

There was never a perfectly straight line from the piano to the stage. In fact, there probably wasn't much of a line at all. Looking back, it was more a collection of unexpected turns, fortunate encounters and a fair amount of curiosity along the way.

And perhaps that is the part of the story I like most.

A little curiosity, a touch of tenacity, a lifelong passion for music — and eventually, music leading Jeffrey to where he was always destined to be: center stage. Dimmed lights. Spotlight on.

Sincere regards to all and God bless.

Your friend,
Jeffrey