Artist-in-Residence: Jeff Ginsburg, MPP2
by Naseem Khuri on October 17, 2007 in Artist-in-Residence, Culture
Jeff Ginsburg is working on a new album. He’s also working on being a new dad. Here he talks to the Citizen about being both and, oh yeah, passing classes as well.
So tell us about what you’ve been up to. First you were in a band, now you’re solo?
During college I started a band called “Jones One.” The idea of a band sounds great. You and your buddies will be the next Zeppelin or U2 and besides that one crazy night where the drummer gets trashed and hits on the guitarist’s girlfriend, everything will be fine. But then reality sets in, and everybody thinks they’re in some sort of life-altering democracy.
I write and sing and all the songs, so I wanted to make all the decisions too. So now I’m just me, “Jeff Ginsburg.” Which is odd, cause that’s who I was before, I just didn’t say it. This has worked out well. I play with some of the best musicians anywhere, and we’re all moving in the same direction.
What are your plans in the future? Thinking about quitting the day job?
Yeah, I’m spending $80,000 at the Kennedy School in order to analytically figure out the best way to quit working. No, I’ll be looking to work in public service next year just like the five or ten other people in our class who missed the Consulting fair.
But I’ll keep playing and recording. I’ll be making a new studio album this year, and playing shows about once a month. If Columbia Records asks me to join the label, I guess I’ll grudgingly sign on.
Ginsburg playing on the Fox 25 Morning Show. Credit: Naseem Khuri.
You have a very young boy as well. How do you balance not only music and school, but that whole parenthood thing?
I judge by the way you said “that whole parenthood thing” that you are not, in fact, a father. So let me tell you, it’s not easy, but it’s a beautiful thing.
Last month I had to get up at 5:00 am to go play on the FOX morning show. I woke up the baby, which is not good. That night I got home from playing a show at 1am, and worked on school stuff until 3am, and then was up with my son at 6am. In other words, the “balance” is achieved by not sleeping and by having an understanding, ridiculously cool wife. I’ve actually never been happier.
Have skills you’ve developed at KSG been helpful for your music career, or am I really reaching here?
KSG has enabled me to think more about how a networked world really is the key to achieving societal outcomes, particularly through public-private partnerships and cross-cultural uses of Stata.
Any good rock and roll stories I can write home about?
Now that I have a baby who will someday know how to both Google “KSG Citizen” and read, I will take a pass on this one.
Jeff and his band play the second Thursday of each month at the Lizard Lounge. His cd is available at shows and on is website here.
Written by Naseem Khuri · Filed Under Artist-in-Residence, Culture
Naseem Khuri is a former Culture and Photo Editor of the Citizen. Prior to his time at the Kennedy School, Khuri worked as an Associate at CMPartners, a consulting firm specializing in negotiation and conflict management training and coaching. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 2001 with degrees in biochemistry and music, and actually still plays music (myspace.com/kingsleyflood). He enjoys late night Guitar Hero, Diet Coke with Lime, long walks on the beach and shamelessly advertising his myspace music page.
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