Life & Work with JP Dewey of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to JP Dewey.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was 5 years old, my parents got a free piano from a family friend who was clearing out an old house. I remember being fascinated by it, playing around with the sounds it created and banging on it relentlessly until my parents signed me up for piano lessons. That quickly blossomed into a youthful exuberance towards all of music that still lives in me today.

Even though I grew up in a very small town in rural upstate New York, I found a variety of ways to share my passion for playing piano. I played in a couple of churches, first as a featured performer, then eventually as the main keyboardist. I studied classical first and then fell in love with jazz, finding a home in our high school’s jazz band and playing in jazz clubs and with various small combos while trying to soak up as much complex music theory as my oversaturated teenage brain could handle. However, despite this obvious love and passion, I had my sights set on a career in STEM – first I wanted to be a mechanical engineer, then a chemical engineer, then a doctor, then a dentist; all amazing options in the eyes of my parents. The summer before my senior year of high school, I found out I was accepted into the NYSSMA All-State Jazz Band, meaning I was the only jazz pianist in the entire state of New York who was admitted to this elite ensemble. This validated my internal desire to pursue a career in music and led to a furious sprint to prepare for college auditions.

I entered Berklee College of Music in 2019, initially to study performance. I spent 8-12 hours a day playing, and every other moment was spent obsessing over how to become the best musician possible. This all ground to a halt in March of 2020. I struggled with my mental health, could barely play the piano without feeling a sense of dread or anxiety, and like everyone else felt trapped inside my childhood home, cut off from the exhilarating world of music school. I was spiraling, with my saving grace being the little bit of music production I had been exposed to before abruptly being sent home. I pivoted, turning my passion towards playing into a passion towards production. Everything clicked. My STEM education from high school and my passion for music became one and I knew that this was my path forward. I ended up majoring in Contemporary Writing and Production with a minor in Writing for Television, graduating summa cum laude in the spring of 2022.

During my final semester, I was offered a job at a remote company where I was essentially an analytical music journalist. I took it, of course, since a full-time job with a salary was rare for people leaving music school. I moved home, saved money and eventually moved to Los Angeles in April of 2023, eager to build a new life in a new city. 5 months later, I was on tour with Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras, playing for crowds every night and fulfilling both my playing and production dreams (keyboard programming is a lot like producing).

Since that eventful tour, I was able to leave my full-time job and I’ve been consistently gigging and producing in LA! I play in a wedding band, accompany independent artists, and perform for various churches, schools, and theatres. I also spend a large amount of time producing for artists, writing songs, composing instrumental works, and generally just building on all the skills I’ve acquired over my lengthy relationship with music.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As I mentioned before, mental health has been something I’ve battled for longer than I initially realized. I’ve struggled with self-worth, confidence, and anxiety for years – I’ve only just recently started to conquer each of these internal battles. Additionally, in most settings I’m rather introverted, which can be hindering in an industry where meeting new people and building connections is such an important aspect. I like to think I’ve made some progress and am always looking for new ways to meet people and connect, but sometimes I think if I was more extroverted I’d find more success. I’m not sure if this is true, but it’s something I struggle with.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, I’m mostly called on as a keyboard player, but I’m working to change that. I spent time on the road with the aforementioned reality-star cover band, I’ve been seen playing keys in the background of a music video that was on Times Square, and I’ve worked with many artists, groups and companies in the Los Angeles area as a keyboardist or performer. In that area, I specialize in keyboard programming, creating enjoyable and effective keyboard sounds for a variety of purposes.

I also am a versatile producer and songwriter and am currently building out that facet of my career a bit more. I’m most proud of my girlfriend’s EP that was just released titled “the road i’m taking” by Trinity Reyes. I produced and mixed every song on that record, and co-wrote “drop dead” and “next year.”

Besides production, I have a very broad range of experiences that I would be more than comfortable utilizing, including music direction, score and part prep, composition, screen scoring, mixing, live playback, engineering, etc. I hate the phrase, but I’m kind of a jack-of-all-trades, without being a master of none (hopefully haha).

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think my life and business has been 50% luck and 50% being ready when opportunity strikes. Meeting specific people at specific times is totally luck, then being able to field their requests or being able to feel comfortable jumping into a new experience is the other half – I’m ready for the opportunity. I’m very grateful for the luck I’ve had so far and can only hope luck stays on my side!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://jpdeweymusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpdeweymusic/

Image Credits
Grace Stockdale