About Jay

Jay spent his early youth in a section of Pittsburgh known as Homestead Park, the outermost region of the "steel capital of the world" and the furthest the post World War II suburbs had sprawled. His house stood on Brierly Lane, a dirt road that separated "modern living" from the "olden days." His side of the road was covered with new housing developments, complete with electricity, telephones, and indoor plumbing. Crossing Brierly Lane, however, brought you to the world of farms, fields, barns, wood stoves, kerosene lamps, pump organs, and (naturally) outhouses. His maternal grandparents lived on this side of the lane.

Many of Jay's childhood stories have their genesis in this setting.

Jay grew up in a busy household. In addition to his nine brothers and sisters, his paternal grandmother and uncle lived with his family. Everybody told stories. Stories passed the time, they entertained, they taught lessons, they brought history to life, they introduced a world beyond the local neighborhood. Telling stories was the most natural thing to do... so natural, in fact, that it never occurred to Jay that someday it would actually become a career.

Jay's Vita Click here for a list of Jay's performances and other credits.

Jay's love of stories was matched by his love of music. He spent hours teaching himself to play the piano, and early-on he established himself as a successful jazz pianist. This ultimately led him to the Eastman School of Music for undergraduate and graduate study. While in Rochester he discovered modern dance through Garth Fagan, and the art of pantomime through Bob Berky. Eventually, his interests in the creative arts came together at the esteemed Harley School, where he established a multifaceted performing arts program for elementary children.

All the while, he told stories... to his siblings and friends, to his own children, to his students and colleagues. He particularly enjoyed stories that involved his listeners and stories from contemporary culture. Then, in 1976, he received a call from a local library asking him to do an evening storytelling performance. He said, "I never thought I had anything to perform until the librarian reminded me of stories she heard me tell my students. Her encouragement was compelling enough for me to give it a try. That's how it all started."

Since that time, Jay has performed in countless venues throughout the US, Canada, and Japan. He has appeared with orchestras as well, blending story and music -- his two great loves -- into a thrilling concert for family audiences. His stories can also be heard daily on two radio stations in Rochester, NY, where he has made his home since 1966.

As Jay puts it: "A good story will always carry a meaningful message, something of value that can be employed in the listener's daily life. My job is not to point that meaning out, but to simply tell the story. Then the listener can discover what he or she can take from the tale and cherish as life goes on."

When he is not performing, Jay spends his time writing, recording, gardening, cooking, biking, swimming, and traveling with the love of his life, Maura, his beloved wife.

Jay is currently at work recording a new CD of stories specifically for adults.