John Jones Music

“The qualifications of a successful sound mixer represent a unique and rare combination of skills. He must be adequately, technically oriented, understand and evaluate the performance of the various electronic and acoustical devices with which he works. He must have sufficient musical aptitude to interpret the wishes of the arranger/ conductor. He must be creatively artistic, imaginative, have a flair for showmanship, be willing to try the impossible, and have the ambidexterity of an octopus. He must have the unique talent of being able to communicate with artists and directors at any artistic level and to perform his functions deftly under extreme pressure. Above all, he must have the patience of Job.” – Bill Putnam (J. Audio Eng. Soc., Vol. 37, No. 9, 1989 September)

Richard Martinez, John Jones, Ian Blanch, Skip Saylor

Another fantastic mixing session in the Valley at Skip Saylor studio, for the soon to be released, Meninos do Morumbi & Friends single, by Music is Hope Foundation!

Terry McDermott, who we have always known, is the VOICE, stopped in our town for a show last Friday, while on tour with the fantastic Miggs!
They played at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip, with Terry opening the show with John Luzzi on guitar! Fortunately we had the super talented DZR to keep us on the straight and narrow!

Terry is graciously going to sing a song for the Meninos Do Morumbi project for Music is Hope Foundation!

John Luzzi of Miggs, with Terry McDermott, performing at HOB, West Hollywood

J.T. & Friends provided the music for an evening of dancing at  the PBS Gala in Orange County last weekend.

Peter Asher was the honored guest, and special performer. He brought priceless stories and photographs, and played his hits, some produced by John Burgess, from his days with Peter and Gordon, and from his time at Apple Records.

Peter Asher with J.T. & Friends at the 2014 PBS So Cal Gala

“Putting on the Ritz” raised over one million dollars for public television programming in Southern California.

I was the guest of leader, and drummer, John Tu, who provided his orchestra for the gala, and much much more!

John Tu and Richard Martinez during soundcheck at the 2014 PBS So Cal Gala.

John Jones and John Tu at the PBS So Cal Gala 2014

Final touches to the Tommy Vicari mix of the Meninos & Friends single featuring Julian Lennon at LAFX were handled ably by Spencer Guerra this past weekend.

Spencer Guerra after the session at LAFX for Meninos

In a brilliant attempt at getting the music out of the box, an afternoon was spent last week with Tommy Vicari at LAFX Studio in North Hollywood, mixing the next Meninos & Friends single for Music is Hope Foundation, through the studio’s beautiful API console, with it’s Neve Flying Faders.

Tommy Vicari and John Jones at the API at LAFX in North Hollywood

Tommy and Spencer at LAFX mixing Meninos!

I don’t know who came up with this…

Social Media Explained

The 7th Annual Producers & Engineers Wing Grammy celebration at the Village Studios honoring Neil Young was a special night.

Neil Young on stage in the ballroom at the Village Studios

I shot this short clip of the introductory part of Neil’s speech to show the atmosphere in the ballroom. It was fantastic!

And then Dave Mathews came out and played a couple of Neil’s songs.

And here is one of the traditional photos many of us take at these events.

John Jones, Frank Oglethorpe, Neil Dorfsman, Elliot Scheiner, Steve Churchyard at the Village Studios

By the grace of all things good and thankful, Mr Julian Lennon paid a swift, serious, soulful, sweet, and wonderful, visit, to East Gate, near Sherman Junction, Los Angeles, today, and laid some tracks for the Music is Hope Foundation project for Meninos do Morumbi, of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

John Jones and Julian Lennon after the session

I’m flying on a painted pony! Fred Mandel was over last Saturday to add his musical magic to our Music is Hope project for Meninos Do Morumbi.

Fred Mandel & John Jones near Sherman Junction, Los Angeles.

Fred is a brilliant professional who plays organ, piano, guitar, sings, writes songs, arranges & produces, and has worked with legendary classics of the 70’s and 80’s such as Alice Cooper, Queen, Elton John, Cheap Trick, Pink Floyd, Anthrax, and Supertramp.

We grew up in the same St Andrews neighborhood of Toronto, a part of York Mills. For my friends and I, Fred was our neighborhood blueprint for a career in music! I tried to see every concert he played in Toronto that didn’t need an ID to get in. And then we lost touch for a few years until we met in the elevator at AIR Studios on Oxford Street, when Fred was in the studio working with Elton John on Reg Strikes Back.

Here is a great interview with Fred Mandel!

One of my favourites, Domenic Troiano, had Fred Mandel and Steve Ferrone recording together at Automated Sound Studio, New York, on Dom’s awesome Burnin’ At The Stake album in 1977.

Julian Lennon made time yesterday to go through the songs we are working on for the Meninos Do Morumbi & Friends Project for Music is Hope Foundation.

He posted this story on Facebook about the project.

JL and JJ on a June afternoon