Meet Parker Jazz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Parker Jazz.

Parker, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a music producer based in Long Beach, CA. I was born in New Orleans, but I lived most of my life on the west coast of Florida in Sarasota. I am named after jazz musician Charlie Parker, and Jazz is my actual middle name (but no one ever believes me).

Music has always been important to me and my family. My earliest memory is hearing “I Try” by Macy Gray on the way to pre-school and music has followed me ever since. My parents encouraged me to try a range of instruments and listen to different genres like jazz, rap, reggae, rock, indie, etc. I’ve dabbled around percussion, guitar, piano, and even the violin in kindergarten but never became proficient in anything.

I always listened to rap music, but a middle school obsession with fast food rap videos would lead to the discovery that I could actually rap. I began writing and freestyling for fun. I listened to beats every day at school working on my lyrics; it was a way to escape from my rigorous high school curriculum.

My whole life was dedicated to academics; however, in my senior year of high school, I discovered music production. I saw Felly using the Native Instrument’s Maschine on YouTube, and I downloaded their app version on my iPad immediately to try it out. I made tons of rap beats over a few months on the app-version saving up the money to purchase the hardware version.

Production was only a hobby until my second year at Florida State University. While studying marketing, I realized how passionate I was about music. Instead of switching to a music program, I finished my business degree and graduated in three years with honors. In school, I produced hundreds of instrumentals and collaborated with local artists, while working part-time in preparation for graduation.

Rather than pursue a full-time job in marketing, I committed to my music career and moved to Long Beach with one of my closest collaborators, indie-artist Nick Horn.

Together we have released several songs, and scored independent film Introspective, directed by Alex Dever. I have also continued producing rap music, most notably for rising St. Louis artist Matty Wood$. I was fortunate enough to produce seven songs from his latest project, I’ll Be Fine, and we just wrapped up a week-long trip in LA. We were in the studio every day until 5 AM working on new content coming in 2019.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As expected there are some serious challenges with pursuing music production. There are so many individuals who may be nasty at the piano or have great rhythm, but those are just small components of the what really goes into being a producer. Learning the nitty-gritty elements has been a challenge; it is way more than making a beat. Forcing yourself to spend the hours working on your mixes, finding a unique style, learning customer service/networking, creating revenue streams, etc. Making a beat is just step one, and when I was at FSU I was looking at my full hard drives thinking I had some gold, but really I had a long way to go (and I still do).

Another challenge is managing patience with complacency. The whole “I am moving to California to make music” can be cliche if you let it be, but if you leverage the area right, it is totally justified. It’s easy to come out here and expect you to hit the ground running, but really it takes some time to adjust. You can get caught hitting refresh looking at your stats and getting really discouraged making comparisons. You have to focus on the process and make sure you do the work but still, take care of yourself. Having a diverse network in different fields (music/film/etc.) will help the transition immensely. Another simple challenge, getting a damn apartment. That is a process and a half.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I produce music, primarily hip-hop/rap. My sound incorporates jazzy/soulful melodies and layered with modern percussion. I try to achieve a laid back vibe, primarily inspired by coffee and Wiz Khalifa. Up to now, I have never used a sample that requires a clearance of the masters or composition, not because I am against it but because I prefer to draft melodies from scratch.

What sets me apart as a producer is my willingness to try new styles. While rap music is my preferred area, I have indie, reggae, pop, and film placements. I had no formal experience with these genres, but I was able to work directly with the artist/director to find their vision and translate it to sound. I look forward to continuing to push my limits and work with new sounds & mediums.

I also work beyond the creative side of production. I co-founded an independent label, VIIX Sounds, and we signed four artists to recording contracts. I am helping with the distribution of new releases, in addition to talent scouting. My music production services are still the focus of my operations, but it is nice to diversify.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My willingness to help others has been the number one contributor to my success. People get so caught up in one-upping each other, but I’ve found when you go out of your way to help out another producer or artist, it can go a long way.

One of the best ways is by “bridging” – connecting two people that don’t know each other but could benefit from each other’s services. I have gone out of my way to introduce artists to engineers, photographers, or even other producers, even if it doesn’t directly benefit me.

If I see an artist I work with is visiting a particular city I have contacts in, I will do my best to connect them. These helpful actions transform me from being another online producer selling beats to someone who really wants to help and is invested in your career, and I think that motivates sales more than anything.

I also do my absolute best to help producers, whether it’s connecting them with artists for placements, providing melodies for collaboration, or even giving guidance to beginners. I try my best to help everyone that reaches out. I have been fortunate enough to meet some great contacts like Vincent Vu (engineer in LA) who always went out of their way to help me with my craft. I want to continue the trend.

Pricing:

• Leases: $25-200
• Exclusives: $500 + royalties

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fanlink.to/parkerjazzbeatstore
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkerjazzz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parkerjazzz
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/parkerjazzz
• Other: http://www.youtube.com/c/ProdParkerJazz

Image Credit:
Alexis Gautier, Brandon Gomes, Robert Thompson

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