Jeff Seitz had sold his soul to rock and roll long before completing his classical training at the Juilliard School of Music. One of the top students of famed New York Philharmonic tympanist Saul Goodman, Jeff was playing with the Greenwich Philharmonic and the New Jersey Symphony when the lure of rock star fame drew the north Jersey native into a variety of successful bands, performing with such diverse musicians as legendary bluesman Long John Baldry and Renaissance keyboardist Raphael Rudd.
In 1980 a two-week U.S. tour as drum tech for The Police turned into three world tours and almost four decades of collaboration with Police drummer Stewart Copeland, with Jeff producing and recording Stewart’s film and television scores. Jeff even filled in as the Police’s drummer when Stewart was ill on tour, adapting his own technique to replicate Stewart’s distinctive style.
Following The Police Reunion Tour of 2007-2008, Jeff continued teching for Stewart’s special orchestral appearances and for “Off The Score,” a supergroup of classical, rock, and jazz musicians. A move to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2016 allowed Jeff to revive his performing career, playing with Michael Cribb’s Law of Cycles, and reviving a version of his 70’s-era New Jersey band Godspeed.
In 2019, Jeff announced the formation of a touring musical revue entitled “The Police Files.” The Police Files is an immersive entertainment experience: A live tribute concert of The Police’s music (with Jeff on drums); an on-stage narrator relating Jeff’s behind-the-scenes stories; Jeff’s archival photos and videos; and a traveling museum of Police artifacts from Jeff’s collection.
The Police Files went into storage when “Stewart Copeland: Police Deranged for Orchestra” began touring in 2021. Today Jeff continues reprising his tech role with Police Deranged, with wife Judith tour managing the six-piece band of three singers, guitar, bass, and Stewart on drums.
Contact Jeff: jeff.seitz@runbox.com