JAMAR HUGHES
DJ/Producer Jamar Hughes is an up and coming producer in the Pacific Northwest, creating a blend of house music that takes you on a journey deeply rooted with early childhood jazz influences and encompassing gospel-like soul and funk elements.
Midwest-raised and classically trained in clarinet by the tender age of 7, Jamar received additional instruction and mentoring from his grandfather who played clarinet, flute and professional saxophone in jazz clubs during the war across Europe. His grandfather’s retelling of his early club experiences had influenced Jamar at this young age to pursue a lifelong love affair with music. By Jamar's senior year of high school, in addition to playing the clarinet he had also picked up the saxophone and the French horn and performed in both Jazz and Marching Band. After high school Jamar’s musical interest took a slightly different turn, and Jamar played in more than a few alternative rock and ska bands; however, playing music soon gave way to dancing in clubs and at warehouse parties. Jamar was mesmerized when he first heard King Britt perform at a warehouse party. Enticed by the soulful, jazzy horns and synthesized keys, Jamar was instantly spellbound; it was the first time he had heard his two favorite types of music combined in such a fashion and he yearned to discover more.
In 2000 Jamar found himself pursuing a culinary career on the West coast; when he first arrived in California he noticed house music was very different than what he’d heard in the midwest. It was this new West coast sound that captivated him, and Jamar soon took the helm and commanded the decks in various venues in the area, initially performing under the moniker ‘Jehu’. Sharing the decks with big Bay Area players such as Rick Preston and Harry Who, Jamar held regular residencies in places such as Lake Tahoe and Reno; including a regular residency at Keep Tahoe Deep, a long-running monthly in Lake Tahoe and at Santa Barbara’s long-running House venue “SB Therapy'’. Labels such as Tango, Electric Soul, Brique Rouge and Double Down were prominent in his record collection and DJs such as Terry Mullen, Mark Farina, Derrick Carter and DJ Sneak were (and still are) an inspiration to Jamar. As a DJ Jamar has played in support of noteworthy artists such as Alexander East, Da Sunlounge and Doc Martin, and the list continues to grow.
While in Santa Barbara, friend and fellow producer Luis Roberto (Lurob) taught him the basics of production, while friends and mentors Alexander East and Jake Childs offered additional guidance and instruction. Jamar’s lifelong love of funky, dubby, bass lines, hypnotic percussion, soulful church-like vocals and jazzy instrumentals guided him as he immediately went to work in the studio, setting out to produce the sounds he had spent his lifetime learning, loving, and perfecting. Now based in the Portland, Oregon area, Jamar is quickly making a name for himself in the production arena; debuting his first material, a remix of Alexander East’s "Free to Run", in 2009. His remix landed on Shur-i-Kan's top 10 list within the first few days of release. Jamar’s debut EP of original production works was released on Seventy Four in July of 2011 and his track “Jehu's Groove” hit Traxsource’s Jackin' Top 20 in its first week. One of his latest unreleased works, "After the Shift", was featured in Mark Farina’s January 2013 podcast. Currently with more tracks on House Call Records, Treasured Grooves, Dustpan, Radda Records and Jack Locker Jamar's efforts will keep you on the look out for even more jackin' tracks to keep you on the dance floor!
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