JJ Holiday (aka Jeff Poskin)

Hello, Class of '76  Hi Everyone, My name in HS was Jeff Poskin. I now go by J.J. Holiday. I am a musician (guitarist) living in LA and have been for 20+years.  I am writing from New Orleans at the moment, playing a gig with the actor Jim Belushi. It is Jazz Fest here in N.O. this week and I am having a blast! It is verrrry late and I just can't sleep. I've been a member of the House of Blues "house band" in LA since it opened, we are called The Sacred Hearts. With them, I play gigs all over the country backing Dan Akyroyd and/or Jim B. as the Blues Brothers or some variation. (Please excuse any typos as this TV access is rather akward to say the least & I can't figure out how to start a new paragraph on this either...sorry) 

    Anyway, right after HS,  I worked at Boeing briefly but HATED the lifestyle so I moved to LA for something completely different. In the beginning, it was kind of tough but I was having such a good time anyway that I really didn't notice just how screwed up I was. ha! Now, in a moment of retrospect, I have to say that the struggles and the persistent desire to be better have been blessings in disguise. Over the years I've had the opportunity to play with many true artists and to travel the world touring playing music. I've been quite lucky I suppose to do something I love for a living. For example, a few of my dreams that have come true; I backed up Bob Dylan on Letterman back in '84, played with Springsteen one night at the HOB, met and played for Clinton & Gore during their '95 campaign, there's others... Allman Bros, John Mayall, etc. 

    I managed to live in France for several months a few years ago playing with some cool artists... loved it! I play on some movie scores when I am not out of town. Workaholic, me?...YES. I work for a composer, David Newman regularly. If you ever hear some guitar, or something like one, behind dialogue, on a movie he has scored, it could very well be me; Nutty Professor(s), Flintstones, Never Been Kissed etc. Just helped write some dance cues for one still being shot called "Death To Smoochy'. W/some partners, I have scored a few smaller oddball flicks myself: Trekkies, Suckers, Six Days in Roswell. Most recently, if you have seen a movie called 'Chocolat', I made it in that for a few seconds on film as one of Roux's gypsy musicians. Actually my main job was as Johnny Depp's guitar coach. He played his own guitar stuff on film and I think he did it pretty well... so therefore my job was done OK too. He and a few other actors have become good friends over the years as well as many musicians... just some of the perks of living in Los Angeles and being persistant... and staying alive. ha! Did a TV pilot w/Belushi for ABC last month, we have yet to see what happens w/it. 

    To tell you all the truth, I haven't really thought about Mt.Rainier HS too much since graduating, but I am glad that someone had the insight to put this group together. It has been a lot of fun reading all of your messages. Glad to hear that Mrs.Berdan is still around. I wonder about some others I had. . Mr.Price (Calculus), Mr.Barr (Spanish) & a Biology teacher, Mrs.R? (can't remember right now) The only person I still know from school is Doug Mahugh. We were great friends then and got together again a few years
back thru Yahoo 'People Search'. I probably made NO impression in school really. I wasn't socially involved in much or anything really other than smoking pot, pulling pranks with Doug and battling acne... so, I played the guitar instead, I suppose. Little did I think then that it would be my life now... strange sometimes... how life unfolds. 

    I've been married, to a native Seattleite, for 20 yrs this year. We have no kids, by choice. Although I do get to function as a surrogate father to 2 wonderful nephews. So I don't totally miss out on watching & being involved with children as they grow up. That's enough of me. Love the postings & hope to make it to the NEXT reunion, didn't know about the others. JJ