Theo Parrish (born 1972) is an American DJ and

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

based in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

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

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productions. He is an owner of the Sound Signature record label.

Biography

Theo Parrish was born in Washington, D.C. in 1972. He grew up in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Roc ...

, listening to

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

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blue ...

, and

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

. 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. It has approx ...

. 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 Kenny Dixon Jr., better known by his stage name Moodymann, is an American musician based in Detroit, Michigan. He is the owner of the record labels Mahogani Music and KDJ Records. He is a member of 3 Chairs. Career In 1997, Moodymann released h ...

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. He is a member of 3 Chairs, The Rotating Assembly, and T.O.M. Project. He often used the Akai

MPC MPC, Mpc or mpc may refer to: Astronomy * Megaparsec (Mpc), unit of length used in astronomy * Minor Planet Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory ** ''Minor Planet Circulars'' (MPC, M.P.C. or MPCs), astronomical publication from the Minor ...

2000XL in his productions.

Style

Parrish became known for his eclectic

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

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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '':wikt:soul, soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The ea ...

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

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or Habit (psychology), habit generally considered immorality, immoral, sinful, crime, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refe ...

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