Meet Jared Morrison (aka J-Moz) from Peterborough who moved to LA two years ago, originally as a PE teacher but ultimately to pursue a career in music.
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
Strangely it was LA that chose us. My partner and I always had a desire to work abroad as teachers due to England’s work-life balance, as well as us both needing more sunshine in our life. We had applied for jobs in various overseas destinations after we had returned from an around the world trip and the first school that offered us an interview was a Charter school in the Valley area. We were successful with our interviews and there was only one choice in our mind to accept the positions. Also, with my passion for music, specifically DJing and producing UK Garage music, it seemed like a no brainer to come to the world’s hub for music and entertainment.
What do you miss most from home?
To be honest, the underground rave scene. I did not realise until coming to the US how unbelievable the music scene is in the UK from small sweatbox club events, to huge festivals with genre specific stages to suit your mood and taste. My hope as a DJ is to bring more variety to nights out in LA from UK Garage to Deep House and from Grime to Bassline.
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since?
First impression of LA when I moved here was that it can be an extremely lonely and fickle place; it’s so important to continue to network and socialize to find the right group of people for you. Some days you may feel you’re taking one step forward and two steps back, but eventually you’ll find your social circle becoming everything you need to support your lifestyle.
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus England?
People do not just pop by for a cuppa. As LA is so big and people you meet can come from all over, it is hard for people to swing by for a catch up. You’ll have to book “appointments” to see friends and don’t be too disheartened when they cancel as that can happen frequently! Also the weather, not always, but mostly can not be beaten…so much sunshine 🙂
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
Well being a Brit I do love my curry and have visited some really great curry houses in LA, but the gem of them all was Masala House in Encino. Great food, service and price!
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
Be prepared for it to not always go well. This is life and they’ll always be ups and downs but I think with LA being…well…LA, the highs and lows are magnified even greater so when those lows do arise, stay positive and count your blessings as when the highs do come you just can’t beat them.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The best piece of advice I received was from meeting a couple from the Brits in LA group for a drink which was “just give it two years”. Adjusting to life in LA has not been an easy transition for us; there have been so many obstacles and hurdles but now that we stuck it out and pulled through them, we feel like we have come through the worst of it and beginning to feel more settled and more like we are at home.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you? Are you working on anything at the moment?
I am posting links of my DJ events as well as new mixes and mashups from my soundcloud to my instagram page @j_moz_. I have already had two gigs at a club in Hollywood called Avalon and am expecting to have another event in April so follow me on IG if you would like to get updates about upcoming shows. Furthermore, I am always looking for more exposure to the LA music scene and would be happy for anyone to reach out about potential work/collaborations.
