7 years ago, ShapeShifter Lab was opened with a vison of bringing jazz music to a family oriented community. Now, if you swing by almost any day of the week, you could find not only live music of many genres, but art, exhibitions, fundraisers, or special event. ShapeShifter Lab has grown into a versatile performance space with a friendly reputation for showcasing up-and-coming artists.
The expansive, raw space in Park Slope/Gowanus was co-founded by musician Matthew Garrison and administrative director Fortuna Sung. The goal of the opening a dynamic venue in this location was to bolster both local and worldly musicians. Although their initial visions for the use of the space and endeavors have evolved, they always have the Brooklyn community in mind.
“We want to keep the neighborhood family friendly,” Fortuna Sung said as she sat down in their office—escaping the loud noises from a dozen small children attending the ‘Dapper Flapper Birthday Bash’ on a Saturday afternoon. ShapeShifter transformed into a toddler safe place with tables for parents, props, mummy masks, and an open area for the young ones to dance.
The business partners remain selective with the artists they allow in and do not solicit anyone to work in their space. With decades of music collaboration under their belts, especially Garrison, they have concrete methods for helping artists progress their careers. Garrison is an actively gigging bassist who has worked and recorded with several prominent names in the jazz scene, such as Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny.
Garrison and his staff know what a versatile venue like ShapeShifter Lab means to musicians. “We take each and every event with the utmost seriousness and importance,” Garrison said via email. “It’s always been my personal vision to have a place where your art and creations are valued and given the proper space.”
Patrons can attend shows without extravagant cover charges and drink minimums. Musicians have noticed and spread the word around town; ShapeShifters main source of getting artists involved is word of mouth.
“We do a lot of recordings here and help people release their music,” Sung said. ShapeShifter Lab notably recorded Snarky Puppy’s album, “groundUP,” in 2012 in front of a 40 person audience, for instance. The band is now a Grammy winning ensemble.
Being an integral part of the Brooklyn community has allowed the space to be active with special, extremely worthy causes such as weddings or awards ceremonies. At the end of September, for example, Shapeshifter will assist in hosting a gala that benefits Camp Sunshine, a year round program that aids children (and their families) who have life threatening illnesses.
“That’s why I really like Park Slope and now Gowanus, because it’s tightly knit,” Sung remarked about the power of non-profit generosity. “People really donate…people are very supportive.”
Looking forward, the ShapeShifter Lab team intends to put out more educational programs and invest in new recording efforts. You can look to software platforms in the next year for a new company development that melds production with live performance. They are also headed towards bigger and better production projects in the future. “We are constantly upgrading our equipment,” Sung said, “and we want to help musicians, mainly, to make money. It’s not an easy thing.”
Supporting diverse local businesses is a small part of what makes this community unique. ShapeShifter Lab has been a shining demonstration of support. Helping local musicians and artists thrive and feel like they have a versatile space and continuing support of this Brooklyn neighborhood. “If a project needs some Shape Shifting, we try our best to meet those demands.” Garrison writes.
As for why making your way to 18 Whitwell Place is a great idea, Garrison says it best, “We’ve ultimately built a place for people of all walks of life to gather and celebrate the human experience.” Who wouldn’t want to experience that?
