Jack Marley Seda-Schreiber, one of Barack Obama’s youngest supporters, is presenting a rock concert fundraiser at his West Windsor home on Saturday, August 23 at noon. In addition to singing, he plays guitar, drums, and piano. A rising third grade student at Hawk School, his band, the J7, includes adult musicians Joe Bezek, Steve Schreiber, and Michael Brett. “I’m only eight, but I want to do what I can to make a difference and I hope the community will come out and support me in trying to make that difference,” he says.##M:[more]##
Seda-Schreiber, pictured at right, a lifelong resident of West Windsor, lives with his mother, Cyndi, a lawyer for Central Jersey Legal Services in Trenton, and his father, Robt (formerly Robert), an artist and art teacher at Kreps Middle School in East Windsor. His name Jack is in honor of his paternal great-grandfather, the Marley is for Bob Marley, the musician and activist, and Seda-Schreiber is the family name combining his parent’s last names.
Robt, born in Brooklyn, moved to East Windsor when he was five. After living and studying in New York, then teaching in California at the University of California at Berkeley, he returned to the area and Kreps Middle School, the same school he attended during his own adolescence. Since then, he was Teacher of the Year for the East Windsor district and received a Fulbright scholarship to Japan.
Cyndi, also known as Cynthia, was born in Trenton and has always lived in the area. “She always wanted to use her legal skills to help the community where she was raised,” says Robt. A public defender before Jack was born, she returned to help people with their housing issues.
“Jack is literally always making music — whether singing aloud to a record or on his own, creating abstract rhythms with various body parts and/or household utensils, or drawing record covers or set lists, both real and imaginary,” says his father. “He simply cannot stop making music.”
After receiving an old record player from his father for his last birthday, Jack has become a vinyl collector, scouring flea markets and record stores for his favorites. His eclectic collection includes the Clash, Ray Charles, Public Enemy, the Beatles, Gnarls Barkley, David Bowie, Gorillaz, and Bob Marley.
“Jack, who has been exposed to many performers including Philadelphia Orchestra, Beatles tribute bands, and hip-hop shows, seems to prefer listening to music on his own terms,” says Robt. “He likes to be able to control the volume at which he listens, what it is he listens to as well as the length of time he actually wishes to listen.”
The young musician, who has taken deejay lessons at Scratch Academy in New York, first performed with his band at his birthday party in June. “Since that was such a tremendous success, he wanted to pursue it further and wanted to do so in a way to also support the community,” says Robt.
“This idea of helping his community; of not only supporting Obama, but understanding and wanting to share his message of hope and change, is just the latest way Jack has shown us that he appreciates what music really represents — an opportunity to have your thoughts and feelings heard and felt by others in a beautiful and funky way,” says Robt.
— Lynn Miller
Obama Rock, House of Jack, 14 Jacob Drive, West Windsor, 609-799-3233. Benefit concert for Barack Obama. Donations invited. Saturday, August 23, Noon.
