The Slope Survey for its 31st installment, this time with Park Slope resident and musician/entrepreneur Matt Garrison.
Born on June 2, 1970, in New York, Matthew Garrison, son of Jimmy Garrison (John Coltrane’s bassist), immersed himself in a vibrant artistic community during his early years. After his father’s death, the family moved to Rome, where Matthew studied piano and bass guitar. Returning to the U.S. in 1988, he lived with godfather Jack DeJohnette, honing his skills with DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland. Earning a Berklee College of Music scholarship in 1989, he launched his professional career, collaborating with notable artists and projects, like Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, John McLaughlin, the Saturday Night Live Band and many others
In 1998, Garrison founded GarrisonJazz Productions, overseeing his music projects. In 2012, he co-founded ShapeShifter Lab, a renowned Brooklyn venue. In 2021, ShapeShifter Lab Productions Inc emerged, focusing on groundbreaking software platforms “TuneBend” and “Matt Garrison”. Garrison, alongside Ravi Coltrane and Fortuna Sung, established the non-profit ShapeShifter Plus in 2014, aiming to advance cultural projects. In 2023, ShapeShifter Lab reopened post-COVID at a 837 Union Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn, marking the next phase of Garrison’s multifaceted career as a musician, entrepreneur, and community leader. Explore more through their websites: shapeshifterlab.com, shapeshifterplus.org, and shapeshifterlabpro.com.
What brought you to Park Slope?
I was living in Boston and around 1993 I had some family issues that required me to make a swift move to Brooklynto provide a helping hand. That first location was on 9th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. 415 9th street to be exact. I was just kind of in the beginnings of my music career so it was both a difficult period but also incredibly inspiring to finally be back in the city where I was born, to be part of an exciting and energetic music scene. I was born in Manhattan at Lennox Hill Hosptial, initially lived on the Upper West Side and eventually moved to SoHo, Crosby Street in the early 1970s with my mother Roberta Escamilla Garrison and my sister Maia Claire Garrison. We eventually moved to Italy where I grew up until 17, then I moved to Woodstock for over a year, then Boston then Park Slope! I’ve lived in other cities off and on over all these years (San Francisco, Paris, Aarhus, Copenhagen) but always kept a firm home base in Park Slope.
What is your most memorable Park Slope moment?
It just happened in August of 2023! That was when we were handed the keys to 837 Union Street and got our venue/event space ShapeShifter Lab and non profiting ShapeShifter Plus 501(c)(3) headquarters up and running again. I frequented and performed at the old Tea Lounge, I live on Berkeley Place and have been in Park Slope since 1993, so opening a business in this neighborhood was probably one of the most important moments in my life and I’ve participated in some pretty incredible things in my years on planet earth. I also love seeing my grown sons hanging around all the Park Slope areas I’ve come to love and admire over the years. I love seeing them set important memories on these blocks, spaces, businesses, parks, streets and avenues.
Describe your community superpower.
Realizing that without one’s community, we are nothing. We all need to feel a sense of connection, purpose, love and I understand and want that deeply for you and for me. This may be less of a super power and more of a sticking point; we have to achieve those goals through common respect for one another otherwise we’re off the mark. I’ve been part of some incredible things, with incredible human beings, but I never feel as if I’m better than anyone. I’m just another version of you with different experiences. My basic and absolute premise is to respect you, and I require the same to engage in a healthy and long lasting co-existence.
If you could change one thing about the neighborhood, what would it be?
When I first moved here, I knew quite a few Black property and business owners and that seems to have changed dramatically. Would be wonderful to see a resurgence of that in the coming years. Gives vibrancy, character and value to this little piece of our planet.
What do you think Park Slope will look like in 10 years?
Given the amount of traffic that has become a serious issue, I’d say over the last 6-7 years, I see that only becoming more of a situation. All the new buildings coming up in Gowanus will certainly add to the “crowded space” factor as well. In some ways Park Slope and surrounding areas seem to look more and more like Manhattan. I see the good and bad in all of that. As a business owner, it’s always wonderful to have more potential customers and folks who enjoy music, arts and all the crazy works we help present. As a neighbor, who has seen the Slope in it’s quieter days, it’s gonna get rough!
What are you reading, would you recommend it?
Lots of material on coding, particularly related to Swift, SwifttUI, visionOS, Javascript, some late breaking info on AI architectures. Nothing really interesting, just work related. My mother firmly disapproves!
If you couldn’t live in Park Slope or in Brooklyn, where would you go?
Most likely back to Italy, particularly to live on the seaside in the southern parts of the country. I’ve been slightly fascinated with the idea of living somewhere in Japan! Don’t know why…
What is your greatest extravagance?
I’m not much of a person that delves on anything extravagant. If I had the full resources I’d put a great deal into camera and audio recording systems to greatly enhance any and all of our live presentation/production work. Aside from that I’m a man that enjoys the simple things in life.
Who is your hero, real or fictional?
My father and my mother.
Last Word, What’s is turning you on these days?
Music. With all the experiences I’ve had, all the things I’ve learned along the way all the music I’ve been part of, I still cannot describe what it is. I don’t really know what Music is… I can’t describe why hearing an ordinary note, played or sung by someone in an ordinary moment will bring me to tears, my heart beats faster or slower, i get goos bumps. What is that? Why is this medium that deals with frequencies and pulses so deeply moving and life altering? I cannot explain it, but I LOVE that! It blows me away. There’s ALWAYS more to learn, never ending and perhaps that sense of infinity of possibilities excites me. Reminds one that we are part of something so much larger than our fragile egos.
