Jeff is originally from Rochester, NY, and has played saxophones since switching from the trumpet in 7th grade. Jeff studied with several teachers in Rochester, including Eastman School of Music faculty and students Jim Doser, Martin Fournier and Mark Tulga.

Attending the College of Wooster in Ohio (as a chemistry major), Jeff played in the college jazz ensemble, led by Professor Jeff Lindberg, co-founder of Chicago's Jazz Members Big Band (now the Chicago Jazz Orchestra). At Wooster Jeff also played with various incarnations of a ska/reggae/blues/you-name-it band known mostly as Tequila Soup. Graduate studies in chemistry brought Jeff to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he played in university jazz ensembles led by Jeff Eckels (formerly the non-talking bassist on the Whad'ya Know Show) and Les Thimmig. While in Madison Jeff also was a regular member of the late Dennis Oliver's Madison Jazz Orchestra and the Madison Area Technical College jazz ensemble led by Jeff Poronto.

After a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Minnesota, Jeff lived in Colorado Springs for eight years, playing with community big bands and subbing regularly for the Springs Contemporary Jazz Big Band. Since moving to Boston in 2004, Jeff has joined the Gordon College Jazz Ensemble on lead alto as a 'community friend' of the band. Jeff also regularly attends jam sessions around Boston's North Shore.