Theo Parrish (born 1972) is an American DJ and

record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...

based in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, and known for his genre-spanning DJ sets and unconventional

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

productions. He is an owner of the Sound Signature record label, and a member of the group 3 Chairs.

Biography

Theo Parrish was born in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

in 1972. He grew up in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, listening to

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

Nina Simone Nina Simone ( ; born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and po ...

, and

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...

. He studied at the Chicago Academy of the Arts and the

Kansas City Art Institute The Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) is a private art school in Kansas City, Missouri. The college was founded in 1885 and is an accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and Higher Learning Commission. The institute ...

. While at KCAI, he concentrated on sound sculptures, creating sonic pieces by combining live instruments, human voices, and looped recordings. In 1994, he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. After graduating, Parrish moved to Detroit and became involved in the city's music scene, eventually releasing the track "Lake Shore Drive" as a B-side to a Moodymann 12" in 1995. His first solo release was the ''Baby Steps'' EP on Elevate in 1996. Parrish launched the label Sound Signature in 1997, and followed with his debut LP ''First Floor'' in 1998 on

Peacefrog Records Peacefrog Records is a British independent record label based in London, England. The label produces releases in many different styles of electronic music, as well as branching out into folk and indie artists such as José González, Nouvell ...

. He is a member of 3 Chairs, with Detroit DJs Rick Wilhite, Moodymann, and Marcellus Pitman, The Rotating Assembly, and of T.O.M. Project. He often used the Akai MPC 2000XL in his productions.

Style

Parrish became known for his eclectic

DJ sets, in which he mixed "classics and obscurities" from

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

, and new wave. His early releases weaved these influences into "slow-burning, immersive grooves." ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

'' stated that "his lengthy sets are masterclasses in the manipulation of black dance music, EQ heavy workouts that educate, entertain and inform," and added that "Parrish has an innate understanding of the pleasure that comes with repetition."

Discography

Studio albums * ''First Floor'' (

, 1998) * ''Parallel Dimensions'' (Sound Signature, 2000) * ''Sound Sculptures Volume 1'' (Sound Signature, 2007) * ''Et Tu Brute'' (Submerge Recordings, 2007) * ''Sketches'' (Sound Signature, 2010) * ''American Intelligence'' (Sound Signature, 2014) * ''Wuddaji'' (Sound Signature, 2020) Compilation albums * ''Sound Signature Sounds'' (Sound Signature, 2000) * ''Sound Signature Sounds Vol. 2'' (Sound Signature, 2012) * '' Black Jazz Signature'' (Snow Dog Records, 2013)

References

External links

*
Sound Signature
on

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Parrish, Theo American techno musicians American club DJs Musicians from Detroit 1972 births Living people Ubiquity Records artists Kansas City Art Institute alumni Peacefrog Records artists