******* Jan's Percussion Calendar Center for Conscious Living 16 E. Main St Moorestown, NJ 856-722-LOVE Go Back to the top ******* REACHIN' HIGHER A New CD By A. Marcy Francis featuring jan jeffries Grammy Award winning musician Leonard Nelson Hubbard (Hub) from the Legendary Hip Hop Band The Roots presents his first Executive Produced CD featuring the Universal, Soulful, Inspirational, Uplifting sounds of A. Marcy Francis *******		ON GOING PERFORMANCES   CD RECORDINGS   TOUR HISTORY   M.O.M. DRUM CIRCLE PIX Poem For M.O.M.  PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS  MAHA MUSIc   Jan Jeffries, a.k.a. Ms. Rhythm Speaker shown here with colleague, Mama Marcy Francis, the prophetess of love and peace. They often perform and facilitate percussion classes together. They were chosen as Top Artists in Residence for 2007  by ARTS & SPIRITUALITY These sisters have taught over 800 people in drum circles, sekere classes, meditations at hospitals, schools and recovery centers. Jan Jeffries, known as Ms. Rhythm Speaker, is unrivaled as a consummate percussionist. Jeffries, a long time resident of Honolulu, Hawaii, hails from Philadelphia, where she began her career of dancing and drumming at the prestigious Sydney School of Dance. A lifetime of studying rhythms from around the world has made Jeffries equally well versed on a variety of hand percussion and kit techniques. She is also an accomplished hoofer—tap dancer. This accumulated knowledge and diversity of experience has inspired Jeffries to develop her own interpretation and distinct style of her trademark, RHYTHM TAP— intricate footwork, creating a percussion instrument out of the dancer’s feet. Just as jazz vocalists add rhythms to music by scatting, tappers add their voice by “scatting” with their feet. Rhythm tap tends to be a heavier or harder-hitting form of tap. Sounds are made not only with the bottom of the shoe, but with the back, sides, and tip. Jeffries has performed extensively throughout the Hawaiian Islands as well as across the United States and the Orient. She is the director/percussionist/vocalist and co-founder of the North American Bush Band, winner of best Live Video-World Music Performance and Best Recording by a World Music Artist from the Hawaii Music Awards. She has performed and/or composed for such productions as University of Hawaii Dance and Theatre Department’s Dragon Quest, The Snow Queen and Kaspar; Tau Dance Theatre’s Kako’o; In Good Company-Faculty Dance Concert for University of Hawaii; and The Island of the Blue Dolphins for Honolulu Theatre for Youth. Also, such events as Maui’s Dance Quake and The Hawaii International Ocean Challenge opening celebration; and with such organizations as Allegro Orchestra of Hawaii, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii State Dance Council, The East-West Center, Black Choreographers Moving Inc., LCC, KCC, Aloha Jam’99 (live on the Internet). She recently played and performed with Grammy Award winner, John Cruz, The Barbara Walker Story, Slack Key Player, Makana and Better Days All Female Band's USO Tours. She recorded with ukulele player and well known Sony recording artist, Jake Shimabukuro. Jan recorded and played at various churches with The Chriambas, an African choir in Philadelphia. You can experience Ms. Rhythm Speaker live at various venues around town with her new band, M. O. M.       Whether she is keeping the rhythm with her feet or Skin On Skins Jan Jeffries says the word is “Don’t Break The Rhythm!” Go Back to the top M. O. M.  Soulful Beatz Rhythms   Jan Jeffries,  Founder   Music Over Matter   “Soulful Beatz Rhythms”   Maha Music—Helping People   Maha   In Hindi, Maha' means, "greater spirit". In Hawaiian, it refers to the spaces between the strands of a fisherman's net, and suggests the space between musical notes...the spaces where individual expression comes to life. Go Back to the top For M.O.M.   That individual expression that is based on the power of love and an awareness of the forces of Nature. ******* M. O. M.   That other thing you feel inside.    No, No, Not talkin’ bout your pride. That gut feelin’, It lets you know From the stomach to the heart, Through your soul, That beat that gave you & me Life, yeah, Life. Talkin’ bout Mom –M.O.M. Yes, Music Over Matter, The rhythm within yourself Maha Music-Helping People   M. O. M. Go Back to the top Performance History   Jan Jeffries   MahaMusic1@aol.com  l  (215) 386-2784   ON GOING PERFORMANCES:   Sydney’s School of Dance - Merriam Theatre Common Ground Center of Peace Healing Feeling  Kimmel Center - Canaan Institute of the Arts Center for Conscious Living—Lew Doty Arts and Spirituality Center Go Back to the top CD RECORDINGS:     North American Bush Band - Funk, Ska, Maha music                   Philadelphia, PA  Makana - Hawaiian Slack Key                                                            Hawaii The Chriambas - African Choir                                                            Philadelphia, PA Jake Shimabukuro - Ukelele Player                                                   Sony, Japan A. Marcy Francis - Reachin' Higher                                                    Philadelphia, PA Go Back to the top   TOUR HISTORY With:   Jake Shimabukuro—Discover Aloha                                                    Japan Makana                                                                           Hawaii, Japan, Philadelphia, Tahiti, Los Angelos Jason Mraz—Tower                                                                               Philadelphia Partners and Pan—Steel Drum Band                                                 Hawaii The Barbara Walker Story                                                                   Philadelphia Circle in a Village– Dance Company                                                  New Jersey Rachel Berman—Modern Dance                                                         New York Halifo Osumar—Katherine Dunham Technique                                Hawaii  Tau Dance Company                                                                            Hawaii Urban Bush Women—Dance                                                                New York, Hawaii  Joe Goode—Modern Dance                                                                 Hawaii  Jeff Slater—Modern Dance                                                                  Hawaii Donald McKale—Modern Dance                                                          Hawaii John Cruz—Grammy Award Winner                                                   Hawaii                       Hawaiian Slack Key CD Better Days All Female Band USO Tours                                           International Go Back to the top   PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS:     University of Pennsylvania—Independent Charter School Star Harbor Senior Center Arts and Spirituality Center Center of Peace African American Museum Go Back to the top JAN'S Mind Over Matter DRUM CIRCLE PROVIDING THE MUSIC FOR THIS PAGE A group made up of over ten talented women. They are dancers, singers, entrepreneurs, crafters, musicians, teachers, students, and excellent cooks.   "My Jan" Jeffries Don't Break the Rhythm Drummers 1 The lesson begins. Dancer At The Drum Drummers2 Even the dancers learn to drum. Drummers10 Drummers3 Students display intense concentration. Drummers4 Students are in "dueling drums" formation. Drummers5 Opposite side of "dueling drums" formation. Drummers6 Drummers hard at work. Drummers7 Serious work. Drummers8 Queen's first time on bass drums. Drummers9 Drums Drums African Dancer African Dancer Hard not to dance when the drums are pounding. African Dancer "My Jan" Jeffries Demanding excellence. Go Back to the top References on this page to any specific process, service, manufacturer, company or commercial product(s) do not always necessarily constitute its endorsement or recommendation by SEKERE.COM or its friends, colleagues or link partners. 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