Meet Lit Jones | Artist/Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lit Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lit, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I don’t do well with balance. When I think of balance, I think of something struggling to stay in a set position. I feel like imbalance gets things moving; you just learn to manage that imbalance. Everything has to be intentional. Without work, life seems pointless. It’s what makes everything else enjoyable for me, so my life revolves around my work. As far as management, the main focus has shifted toward organizing to be more focused and effective. Some ways I implement this is by keeping daily practice logs and setting reocurring timers to help my workflow.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My music is a reflection of me. It’s a mesh of what I experience; my emotions, trials and errors represented by sounds that I hand pick. It [my music] still grows on me, helping me become more aware and loving of myself. The musical choices I make can tell of the places I’ve been, as well as how I’m dealing with life.

One thing that separates me from others is my musical background, which is mostly responsible for how I approach the art. My influences range from Bill Evans, Max Roach and Herbie Hancock to J Dilla, Kanye, Flying Lotus, Little Dragon and more. What I hope to contribute is not a replica of my heroes, but my own respective sound that will help tell my story. I don’t do it for the likes and numbers. I’ll be Waldo even when no one is looking for me.

The most important aspect of creating music to me is the freedom of expression; I never like being told what to do. It’s also a plus when people respect and value your work and opinions.

The journey as a professional has had many stages; some glamorous, and others, gritty. I would compare it to a relationship with a good friend. The more time you invest into the craft, the more rewards and knowledge you gain. The experiences make for a strong bond filled with passion at times. Other times, you’ll fight and not want to be bothered. Time and reflection will heal those wounds and you pick up right where you left off in most cases. At least this has been my experience. I’ve been studying music for over half of my lifetime and I plan to do it until the day I die. The gifts that I have aren’t just for me, and they’re worth way too much for me to waste them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To be honest, I’m not an outgoing person. I’d cook at home most days and go to the mountain to get fresh air and exercise. If that ain’t enough we’ll get on Eventbrite to look up live shows and events around the city

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My brother Jeremiah for always pushing me to do better, my mom for supporting me, all of the bands I’ve played in and venues that hosted us, the Cleveland music scene, the good and bad experiences that made me work harder.

Instagram: @lit_jones

Twitter: @_litjones

Image Credits
Amber Ford and Kj Glover