I’m Jeff Aslesen, a percussionist and educator. I was raised in a musical family and studied piano at 8 years old and drums at 10.  I started playing school concerts in 6th grade band.  I played in concert band, orchestra, stage band, churches, musicals, percussion ensembles and small groups through my school years.  For part of my college senior recital I composed and performed 2 original percussion pieces and received my B.A. in music from Cal Lutheran College. After college I joined Lamb’s Players, (a theater company) creating sound effects for a mime troupe, and began soloing on the drumset to gather audiences for our open-air shows. I was invited to join a 3 person team to travel to Andhra Pradesh, India to play music, skits and teach the Bible.  Those 3 and 1/2 months were life-changing.   Our team returned to the U.S.A. to tour that summer sharing our experiences through dramatic sketches and vocals supported by a piano/drums duo. Returning to Southern California after tour, I began teaching percussion students and shadowed and subbed for my college percussion instructor.  It was a busy time performing in many venues and groups.  My day job as a Production Supervisor and Safety Rep in a semi-conductor company left me stressed and unfulfilled.  When offered a chance to tour again, I jumped on it and spent the next two summers touring Central America and the months in between doing promotional work across the U.S. I moved to Texas and began taking on students and joined a band.  I played regularly at my church and a ministry I was in, as well as ‘the occasional gig’.  I met my first wife at church and we performed her original tunes at local venues and open air concerts in Houston, where she was from.  She sadly succumbed to cancer at age 43. I was an elementary teacher during those years and gave drum lessons to any willing student.  After my wife died I took a guest teaching position in Kerala, India for 5 months.  I helped develop a drum pad and sticks for students I taught there.  I also had the privilege of mentoring some amazing musicians in a worship team at a seminary. Returning to the states I contacted a fellow musician and old college roommate who had mentioned he needed a percussionist for a tour to Peru.  I traveled that year to Peru, Italy and Switzerland.  Since then I have toured once or twice a year to 23 countries so far, playing drums or percussion.  I continue to teach percussion and drums privately and taught 10 years at Guitar Center. I’m married to a wonderful woman and nurse, Jocelyn for 20 years, and we continue to tour to other countries each year, as well as volunteer at a summer camp for inner city kids.

Personal perspective:
My life was forever changed when I committed my life to Christ at the age of 16.  Sharing God’s love with others especially through the Arts has been the continuing passion and joy of my life!