#87 - Jonathan Estabrooks: Creating a Production Business

Dear Multi-hyphenate

“I am living my best life. Honestly, the multi-hyphenate life, for me, is the best life. I can wake up and I am never bored. I am engaged and driven to work on different things.”

Jonathan Estabrooks went to Juilliard for opera, but just like many of us, turned his other interests into professional capabilities. And multi-hyphenates… we know how to pivot. During the pandemic, just like millions of others, spun the situation into something positive and became Vice President and head of recording for Emitha, a company which focuses on production, design, and production for artists, by artists. What goes into starting a new company? How do you balance the different responsibilities? What is spatial audio and how is Jonathan embracing it in his work?

As an active producer, mixing engineer, director and performer, Jonathan Estabrooks has amassed over 15 years of experience, 3+ Million views with a wide variety of content from short-form documentary, music videos and commercial content, to full album and single production. As a graduate of The Juilliard School he has been hailed by the New York Times as ‘a robust baritone’ his experience in front of and behind-the-scenes has given him a unique understanding of the industry and how to craft the most compelling stories through music and film.

As producer and mixing engineer he has worked on over 25 titles many of which have charted on Billboard. Notable credits include Black and Blue (NYFOS Records/#3 Billboard Classical Crossover), LAMENT (Lexicon Classics/#3 Billboard Classical) and Anna Christie (Broadway Records/#6 on the Billboard Classical) with libretto by the late Joe Masteroff and 12-time legendary producer Thomas Z. Shepard (Bernstein, Sondheim). He co-produced his debut album These Miles with 4-time Grammy-winning mixer Dave Reitzas (Streisand, Groban). He has collaborated with Grammy and Tony-winning producer Michael J. Moritz Jr. and his work has been featured in major National and international media including on the front page of Billboard.com and twice in the New York Times, CBC Television, CNN and NBC.

As an executive producer and director, he led the team behind a charity single and founded Artists for the Arts in 2017 to save the NEA. Released on Broadway Records the single and music video featured Annie Golden, Peter Hollens, Chris Mann, the cast of Hamilton and over 150 performers.

In addition to his music producing credits, his film and video work is extensive including music videos, virtual contents, galas, behind-the-scenes content and two documentaries currently in production including a profile of the first Black tenor to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, George Shirley.. He was associate concert producer and IMAG live video director for the Leonard Bernstein Centennial concert at Wolf Trap, directing 11 cameras and featuring Misty Copeland, George Takei, Tony Yazbeck, Manhattan Transfer, Take 6, Paquito D’Rivera and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Estabrooks is a voting member of the Recording Academy and is co-owner and Vice-President of Emitha LLC, a full service production company focused on a full suite of creative services including recording, mixing, mastering, design, photography, music distribution and promotion through thier two labels, Lexicon Classics and Crossover Records. Visit www.emitha.com to learn more! @jonestabrooks

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