Jeff Orr

21 Oct 2007     10:30 A
Worship @ Walnut Hill Community Church/ Newsong
Rochester , New York

2 Nov 2007      7:30 P
Mosaic Cafe
Webster , New York

9 Nov 2007     7:30 P
Lakeshore Community Church
ROCHESTER , New York

18 Nov 2007    10:30 A
Worship @ Walnut Hill Community Church/ Newsong
ROCHESTER , New York

20 Jan 2008    10:00 A
Teaching @ Crossbridge Community Church
Penfield, New York

"Art is one of those rare things in our lives that crosses socio-economic, racial and cultural boundaries," says Jeff Orr, a performing and recording artist for over 27 years. This understanding of the power of the arts has enabled him to connect with audiences around the United States in deep ways. Whether performing for small, intimate crowds of 25, or larger audiences over 4000, Jeff communicates with the same passion and excellence.

"I may only have one opportunity to communicate to my audience what I want to say, so I will use various art forms in my performances to enhance the experience." Jeff combines video, lighting, dance, and physical space along with his music to connect audiences with a message of spiritual searching, honesty and hope.

"I hope to be able to share my art with an audience in such a way that it becomes a transforming experience. My greatest compliment is to know that someone's soul has been awakened because of my art."

With his newest CD release “Hanging by a Thread”, Jeff steps out of the comfort zone of writing for the marketplace and writes from his heart and soul. With a definitive edge, a modern pop / rock sound and emotionally charged lyrics, what stands out when you listen to these songs is the honesty. Jeff shows no fear in tackling the tough issues. His lyrics relate to everyone's journey and cause the listener to feel.

Jeff began writing at age nine and the years between then and now have been quite a journey for him both spiritually and artistically. While Jeff came to his faith at a young age and grew up believing that he would continually understand God more, this hasn't always been the case. He has had times of great closeness to God; times he felt his talents were making an impact. But there have also been times where he wondered if God was actually hearing him cry out, times he was ready to give up his dreams altogether. Jeff realized that many Christians and those still seeking spiritual truths are in the same place, facing doubts and questions and wondering how they fit in. It was during recent struggles that Jeff began writing songs for Hanging By A Thread.

Jeff admits that he is still on the journey. He has good days and bad days. He still has questions and has come to realize he might always have them. But he has learned to reconcile that these feelings do not take away from his faith. It's a choice whether to believe or not. It doesn't require denying the pain, simply realizing that God is mysterious and untamed.

Jeff has had many influences on his musical style; from piano men like Billy Joel and Elton John, to ‘80's pop bands, Def Lepard and AC/DC to James Ingram and current artists like Vertical Horizon and Switchfoot . While Keith Green was an early influence on him spiritually, more recently he has been moved by the songs of Nichole Nordeman . These varied influences show up in his musical style.

2002 saw the release of Coming Home, an instrumental pop/jazz CD of original music written by Jeff, and the revitalization of Modern Reflections Music Group, the production company Jeff began years ago. Now with the release of “Hanging by a Thread”, Jeff is excited about the work God continues to do through him. As he has grown and changed, Jeff has come to see that art can freeze a moment in time and it doesn't have to answer all the questions. Great art causes the listener to question and/or ponder. Everyone will see it differently. What connects to the heart of the listener is when an artist is true to their art. Jeff firmly believes "you can be technically perfect, but without honesty and passion something is lacking."

This same line of thinking permeates Jeff's songwriting. "When you can take a strong melody and a great hook, and couple that with clear and honest lyrics that really move the listener, then you have a great song," says Jeff. "Writing is one of the ways that I can express the deeper parts of my core, to express who I really am."

With over 25 years of writing experience and more than 80 songs to his name, Jeff has been crafting and perfecting his writing technique. Writing in multiple styles, including, Pop, Rock, Jazz, R&B, and Orchestral, both instrumentally and lyrically, many of Jeff's songs have been recorded not only on his own CDs, but also on other artist's CDs. Many of his songs are still performed in front of audiences today.

In addition to being a writer and performing artist, Jeff is also an accomplished arranger and producer, working with many artists over the years in multiple musical genres. This experience has allowed him to earn a reputation for artistic excellence and integrity; a combination that breeds success.


Jeff's Official Website: http://www.jefforr.com/
See Jeff at:  http://www.myspace.com/jeforr  

HeartBeat asks Jeff some important questions:

HB: When is your new CD being released?

Jeff: It was released January 2007

HB: Are all of your songs original... do you write them all... do you have help?

Jeff: All songs on the CD are originals written and arranged by me. I do have other writers that I work with in Nashville on a regular basis but this CD was written on my own.

HB: What is your inspiration/motivation for your lyrics?

Jeff: The lyrics for this CD came out of a time of struggle and darkness in my faith and relationship with God. I went through a 3 year period where God was very quiet in my life. It was definitely a spiritual desert. I call it my “dark night of the soul”. I was on staff at a church leading a vibrant music ministry yet, due to a number of deep life issues (one being years of infertility and wondering why God would not bless us with a child) , I was struggling deeply in my faith. Because my job wasn't exactly a ‘safe' environment for expressing those doubts and questions I had, I simply retreated behind a mask. It was very difficult as every Sunday I would lead people in worship and prayer and at the same time wondering deep inside if I believed what I was saying. I had been a Christ follower for most of my life and had, or at least thought I had, a fairly strong faith and relationship with God. Now I was plagued with doubts and questions I had never entertained before. Does God really hear me when I call out to Him? How involved is He in my life? Can I really trust Him when life is coming down hard on me?
I knew I would never totally give up on my faith; it is who I am. My relationship with God is part my being much like oxygen is part of my being. I don't think about needing oxygen in my cells for life, it just is. My faith is the same. It is so rooted in me that to part from it would be tantamount to trying to separate my DNA from my cells.
So I struggled through the darkness crying out to God, not hearing anything and trying to reconcile all of it. That reconciliation came when I asked myself this question: If God never spoke one more word to me or chose not to answer one more prayer, would I still believe in Him? Would I still believe that He is a good and loving God?
It was not an easy answer. I struggled with it for more than a week. But in the end, despite how it would make me feel, I had to answer, yes. Yes I would still believe. If God gives me the freedom to be who I am by giving me free will in the choices I make, even when it hurts Him, then I have to allow God to be who He is by letting Him make the choices He does without me trying to manipulate Him to get what I want.
Nine months later, God re-connected with me. I sensed His voice and pull on my heart. I spent three days praying and reading His Word, connecting my soul to His. He restored our relationship. He gave me a new calling in ministry and a new purpose. It meant the world to me that He did that.

Five weeks later, we were pregnant.


HB: How long have you been in the music industry and how did you begin?

Jeff: I started writing music when I was 9 years old and have been performing for over 27 years. I had a band for 7 years and started my own music production company, Modern Reflections Music Group, after I got married and moved to Chicago in the early 90's.
I started like most people with a dream of being a “rock star”. Over the years as I learned and grew as a musician, I saw many more opportunities in the music industry that I have been able to be a part of such as producing, writing, arranging, recording, commercial work, and writing jingles to name a few.
My passion is to create “art that awakens the soul”, specifically awakening people to God's truth, love and saving grace. It is my desire to create a concert experience that allows people to experience the themes of spiritual searching, relationship with God and, ultimately, hope, that is found in my CD, “Hanging by a Thread”. It started with a little boy's dream and has turned into quite an adventure with God imparting His vision into my heart and hopes.

Thank you, Jeff, for taking the time out to chat with us and God bless you in all your many ministry opportunities!