Meet Jo + Todd Harmon-Garner | Producers/Partners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jo + Todd Harmon-Garner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jo + Todd, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
We have been unwittingly destined to become risk takers. Firstly, we committed to moving in together after only a year and a half of being in an LA vs. BK long-distance relationship. Fifteen years later – we are proudly living survivors. We love meeting new people and experiences. We have jumped at the chances, swallowed the failures and accepted the challenges to explore creating and communicating through our love for arts and culture.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As mere fans of House music and its culture, we co-produced a year-long monthly pop-up party called FAM in venues downtown alongside local Doers: AMP Collective, Amrahu Ibrahim and Louis “Idlewyld” Hale. It built an authentically creative community following. It was kept genuinely inclusive by featuring rotating DJ’s and live performers. Our style of hosting was like a monthly housewarming. We launched my solo music project called Aventurine during the pandemic. With a lot of down time, we co-wrote several songs, produced a few music videos.

We pitched a mixed media artist Alicia Piller, whose work we adore to our director to choose as the subject of his second art documentary film. He chose her, then she agreed to be the film subject under the condition that the two of us would be involved in it. Neither of us brought any film experience, but we were thrilled to accept our producer roles. We have been drawing on anything we can to problem-solve and be resourceful through our years between us of music making, dance, customer service and navigating ever-ranging egos . This project has been as rewarding and fulfilling as it has been anxiety-inducing every step of the way. We have learned to accept and apply notes and criticisms as delivered from those who give a damn enough to be honest. We’re excited to share that the film will be released in the coming months!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Here is where we would introduce our friends to our LA favorites:

Daytime steps at Hollywood Reservoir, Vista Hermosa Park or Fryman Park
Weekend Brunch at Superba Hollywood, LA Rose Cafe, Clark Street Diner or Great White
Day party at Blend by AMP Collective, Utopia or EP/LP
Weekday lunch at Earle’s On Crenshaw, Joy, Kuya Lord or Bridgetown Roti
Art and Amazement at Watts Towers, Tom of Finland House, Museum of Jurassic Technology, Craft Contemporary,
Academy Museum
Comedy at Largo, The Improv or Comedy Chateau
Late night eats and drinks at Jones, Thunderbolt or Lowboy
Live music at Hollywood Bowl, The Bellwether or The Mint
Vibing, dancing, sipping at JuJu Social Club, Bar Franca or Hello Stranger
Films at Laemmle, New Beverly Cinema or Alamo
Shopping at Noodle Stories, Douglas Fir, OK, Wittmore, Book Soup, Toiro
Dinner at Crossroads Kitchen, Angelini Osteria, Linden, Manuela, Mozza or Joyce

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to acknowledge the LA County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) for introducing us to each other amidst a haven for prodigies and misfits alike. We give a shoutout to Lizze Gordon Homokay: the modern wife/new mom/viral dog mom/podcaster/ vlogger/screenwriter who always has time to advise, support and call us out. We give another shoutout to Armin Nasseri, our director and inspiring sponge of knowledge. We must shoutout our families who we wouldn’t be here without – especially Todd’s son Kahlil Garner, his twin and music collaborator Troy Garner and my sisters: Joanie Harmon and Jolene Niwa.

Website: https://www.pullmanportersmusic.com/

Instagram: Afterlife of Objects – @AFTERLIFEOFOBJECTS, FAM – @FAM.WE.ARE, Aventurine – @AVENTURINE_MUSIC

Image Credits
Image credits by Todd Garner