INTERVIEW

The Gear Setup of a Leading Mix Engineer

A Chicago-born and now Los Angeles-based mixing engineer, Jeff Jackson is in very high demand. While taking on various projects—ranging from mastering rap and R&B records to mixing records for Universal Music Publishing—he recently opened a new studio at his already successful MixOne studios (which he founded in 2018).

Jeff began his career in Chicago, where he served as a recording engineer at Classick Studios, which has helped launch the careers of major Chicago artists such as Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa.

Studio Sessions | Jeff Jackson talks helping Common, Kanye West, and The Internet finish their albums

In this installment of “Studio Sessions,” the accomplished engineer discusses flying to the Dominican Republic to work on Brent Faiyaz’s ‘Sonder Son,’ helping Kanye West update ‘The Life of Pablo,’ and seeing Babyface make great music like it’s second nature.

How Mixing Brent Faiyaz’ ‘Sonder Son’ Reignited Jeff Jackson’s Passion for Engineering

Service industries have historically been breeding grounds for artists. The list of musicians that toiled over sneaker sales and steak temperatures almost stretches as long as the lines of consumers hip-checking to save pennies on Black Friday. In the archetypal come-up, the threat of ceaseless mundanity forces artists to seek refuge in a creative field. For Jeff Jackson, the engineer responsible for Brent Faiyaz’s solo debut,Sonder Son, engineering is an artistic application of the same humility and dignity it takes to meet others’ desires.