Meet J Stemmons (aka Garfield Adams) | Mixing + mastering engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with J Stemmons (aka Garfield Adams) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J Stemmons, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
our family philosophy behind entrepreneurship grew from multiple concepts in our household really converging all at once.

specifically, the fact that our family and home life is just hyper creative. I produce, record, mix, master and consult in my space, my wife has repurposed a portion of our home into a photography studio and she is a photographer, web and graphic designer, video editor who also makes music in her space. plus, our daughter is currently in a visual arts charter school with ambitions of becoming a bit of a hybrid of us two as an animator, illustrator, vocalist, producer. and we are already so integral to each other’s processes; my wife and daughter give me mix feedback, I frequently assist on my wife’s shoots with anything from BTS, to art direction to holding a bounce when needed. so with our entire lives already being built around each other’s business, adding one more layer of partnership was a bit of a no-brainer for us.

couple that with this idea that if we had it our way in a world that was perfect for us, neither of us would go back to a 9-5 job. both of us have professional, corporate type backgrounds so there’s no shame in that. and, of course anything can change at anytime, but we’d both rather invest that energy, emotion, effort and growth into building something we own; that we could prayerfully pass to our daughter should she want to follow those steps, no matter how big or small. so there’s this concept of legacy that we both subscribe to that was a big motivator for us.

lastly, it’s our faith that informs our purpose and to us, it is our responsibility to use all of these gifts and talents we’ve acquired and developed over our years to serve. and the vision is provide that service via support to our creative community by cultivating creative environments that are professional, yet supportive, authentic, insightful and nurturing. there’s no reason why any creative should travel alone if they don’t want to, but many feel like they don’t have community or resources to execute their vision. our response to that sentiment is: “hey there! if you would like some company, and your desire is to connect with creatives that care about your vision and are committed to your growth and expansion to the best of their ability, let’s connect and see what we can build together.”

taking that leap to start our own business was really the way we could check off a couple of boxes that speak to who we are as professional creative parents.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
1. What sets you apart from others?

ummmmm…

The Wire over Sopranos
Jordan 1 Lo > Dunks
sugar doesn’t belong in grits
“Muddy Waters” over “Dare Iz A Darkside”, “Midnight Marauders” over “Low End Theory”
each DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) absolutely has it’s own sound (might get some hate mail for this one)
spaghetti and fried fish do not belong on the same plate
WWE “superstars” are “athletes”
no rapping over backing tracks
I don’t know how to swim or play Spades
I actually, really and truly love people…like, for real!
iced coffee even when it’s cold outside
if you HAVE to use barbecue sauce for it to be proper, you can’t really barbecue
phone calls > text messages…and single, longer messages with more details > a series of shorter, but less detailed messages

2. What you are most proud of or excited about?

I think I’m most excited about what’s next for me and this ride. while this has been a most exhilarating adventure over the last 25 years of my life, it hasn’t been without it’s challenges and frustrations. however, as I’ve always done throughout my career, I’ve always been a certain kind of resourceful, always open to learning new skills to stay sharp and flexible as a freelancer, entrepreneur and creative. and that’s what always makes it interesting. because everyday there’s always a possibility for new. and many seeds have been sown over the past few years in multiple areas of my creativity. and now we’re finally starting to see some of the fruits. completed records releasing, new projects booked, new opportunities and avenues to grow and create. so really, I’m just excited to see all that God has in store for me in the coming year.

3. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy?

honestly, a lot of support from my wife, a lot a great mentorship and a lot of prayer and faith.

simply put: I can’t be the artist guy if my wife isn’t interested in cultivating a space where that is possible. so it’s an extreme blessing to get support in your vision and your dreams while also giving support to their vision and dreams. that sometimes makes the “pressure” times tougher to navigate for sure. because no, none of this is easy and while many do it successfully, the creative family dynamic can test your limits. but we do our best to stay aware of that by way of check-ins and “vibe checks” and just building with each other reading each other and supporting wherever we can for each other. and I’m infinitely thankful that she’s who I get to walk alongside as we navigate all of this together.

I’m also super thankful for my “big homies” that saw my interest and passion and curiosity and fed it. just taking the time to entertain my questions, taking my calls and texts and being so willing and eager to share and assist. I never really had the resources to afford production or audio or recording school so in that sense, I’m self-taught in all of my things; lots of late night Googles and YouTube videos and audio forums searching for gems. but outside of that, and as it pertains to my mixing style, my taste and my perspective on the art, I have been blessed beyond measure to have some cats that really took a personal stake in my growth and helped me see my craft the way I do today.

and then too, I have to give myself just a pinch of credit for just leaning into my curiosity. everything that I’m into, whether it’s mixing, mastering, spinning records, jazz guitar or Kenpo or photography, started out of interest and curiosity. and once the bug bites, and I really get into something, once I fall down that rabbit hole, I get hooked. and then I start asking questions and doing all the researching and sponging I can do…on some Matrix “I know kung-fu…” and then I ask more questions. and once the aforementioned “big homies” take interest and share gems, I listen and practice and I’m respectful of their time and wisdom. and repeat. so yea, just being curious, coachable and consistent plays a huge part in where I am professionally.

and of course, my faith. just knowing that God has a purpose for my life to share my voice, my gifts and my passion to be of service. and having the faith to trust that no matter what challenges or hurdles come, how many times I fall off or fall short or the countless stories I make up in my mind when my confidence dips or the path is not so obvious…He is my path back to center. and He has led me out on the other side ever single time. that’s what has me still going today…

4. What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

a. sometimes the people you love the most don’t have the desire, ability or capacity to support or even understand your vision.

b. without exploration, there is no discovery. be flexible. be teachable. ask questions. keep learning and digging and reaching. and when you find something that makes your heart smile, dig deeper.

c. “just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyed..” courtesy of my wife Camille. I need all perfectionists to read this.

d. tools are toys if you don’t know how to use em. learn your tools. the entry level ones. the advanced and complicated ones. open your manuals. the best DAW, plugin, instrument are the ones you take the time to learn.

5. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I’ve poured it all out above. but more than anything, I’d love it if anything read here served as encouragement for others to keep going. or as inspiration to taking a first step in their vision. and if they need support in that, there’s folks down to assist…

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
well, since I’ve become a bit of a homebody since the pandemic, my list of “hotspots” is a bit lacking. of the few things I’m hip to, if the visit falls around the 1st Saturday of the month, then Boombox is definitely on the list. we are likely gonna hit Melody Lounge in Chinatown to check out my brother Tommaso on Tuesday. we’ll definitely hit Goldline, Johnny’s HiFI, Let’s Go Disco or one of the spots to check out one of the fam’s DJ sets…or even one of my own sets.

for food, there are WAY too many options. our newest favorite spot is Teddy’s Tacos next to Townhouse in Venice. my brother Emile and his band The Education play at Townhouse at the end of the month, and Teddy’s is right next door. easily my favorite tacos in LA right now!

and of course, no trip would be complete without dope coffee nerd spots. that means we gotta hit my favorite coffee spots in Pasadena: Republik Coffee, Cordova Cafe and especially CAR Artisan for the absolute most amazing chocolate croissant ever!

for any and everything else, luckily for me I know a guy that is in the know about a good 80% of what’s dope in LA from food to nightlife and everything in between. so when all else fails, call Derrick…

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?
I have SO MANY people to give thanks to. I’m sure many of us say that, but really I do. I’m a big believer that my life has been infinitely blessed because of the people God placed on my path. so this is tough one and I hope to get as many as I can. anyone reading this that didn’t get a shout, please understand that I was under a timeline and working to get everything down and that I love you..

in no particular order:

my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, my wife who is the reason I get to do what I do…for every acknowledgement I get, she deserves two, my GOAT daughter who reminds me daily of how blessed I am to get to be her Dad, my dear mother (I love you, Mommy from “Boo Bear Garfield”…rest well), my Pops, my sister Niya who still bumps all my music and swears she’s my biggest fan, my brother Ken, Jr. aka Wadda, my nieces and nephews, Papa Joe, Mama Jan and B-Law (thank you both for EVERYTHING over the years), my many adopted families (Evans, Decuir, Betts, the multiple Johnson families), The Pozerz, The UHH, SoulVibe Coalition, Crushed Grapes, Vibezelect, DKB, Eli, Dave Isaac, Ian Boxill and Sweden, Frank Reiche, Justin Latts, BKOB, Tommaso, Larry Whitt, x144, Troy Johnson, Everett Saunders, Shafiq Husayn, Tiombe Lockhart, Claire Renee, Emile and the Education, Poet Hawkins and everyone that has ever let me touch a record. Griz, Uncle Ru, Cryptik, Abcnt, Clint, Val, CJ, SEP Music, VBC, Greyone, HRM, Dizzle and all my “Bux” family, Treats & Beats, Charlie Slo, my Expedition Radio fam (Derrick, Delia, Camille, Hoss, Frank, Michelle, Bubs and Plann.B), Endo, Phonecalls, the Boombox fam, the Soul Sessions fam, the Rhythm Section fam, KPhoto, Dilla, Quik, Tribe, Madlib, Redman, Yasiin, De La, Erick Sermon, Stro….again, LOTS of salutes and flowers to give!

Website: N/A (for now)

Instagram: @mrgarfieldadams

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrgarfieldadams/

Twitter: @mrgarfieldadams

Image Credits
Cory Crook
Camille Stemmons