Every day I open the door to A SafeHouse Studio, I’m reminded how blessed I am to create in a 9000 square mile city as musically rich, culturally layered, and relentlessly inspiring as Houston. Having 1,200 square feet dedicated to pure creativity is a privilege — but having it in this city, surrounded by these artists, is the real gift.

And truthfully… collaboration here just comes easy.
There’s something about Houston’s mix of stories, traditions, and sonic identities that makes every session feel like an open invitation to explore. My own journey — from London DJ to Houston engineer, professor, and founder of ToneCrafters — places me right in the epicenter of that creative energy. If you’ve read my bio, you know I haven’t taken a straight path to get here. But that path led me to a city that moves with rhythm in its bones.

Houston Has Some of the Best Musicians in the World — And the Receipts to Prove It

Saying “Houston has the best musicians in the world” may sound bold, but anyone who’s spent real time in this scene knows it holds a lot of truth. Yes, it’s subjective — music always is — but Houston’s track record speaks loudly:

Global Icons Are Here

Beyoncé, one of the most influential artists in modern history.
Alex Campos, 5x Latin Grammy winner.
Tobe Nwigwe, a genre-bending faith-based innovator.
Yolanda Adams: A Grammy-winning gospel singer.
Lyle Lovett: A Grammy-winning singer-songwriter in country, folk, and blues.
Kenny Rogers: A legendary singer in country and pop music

@tobenwigwe fashion week w/ @tobecallsmefat in paris

Genre-Bending Innovators are here

The Suffers delivered a new wave called Gulf Coast Soul.
Khruangbin took Thai funk, psychedelia, and surf rock, and built a global following with a sound that feels like three continents at once.

Music scene Im Keeping Watch Out For

Jazz and Zydeco have long thrived in neighborhoods like the historic Third Ward and East End, where cultures blend and rhythms collide.
Ska, Reggae and Cumbria has seen an explosion of interests in Houston’s East End.

This isn’t just a scene — it’s a living ecosystem. A melting pot with its own heartbeat, always growing, always shifting, always surprising you.

Houston’s Music Scene Today: Diverse, Electric, and Wide Open

Houston’s diversity isn’t an aesthetic here — it’s literally the DNA of the city. You can step into a blues bar, a zydeco dance hall, a salsa club, an Afrobeats night, a pop showcase, and an experimental sound lab… all within a ten-minute drive.

Where You Can Hear That Diversity Live

McGonigel’s Mucky Duck — songwriter heaven.
House of Blues — national touring acts and major artists.
Tropicana — Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, and live Latin bands.
The Continental Club — blues, rockabilly, soul.
White Oak Music Hall — indie, alternative, multi-genre.
The Eldorado Ballroom — Houston’s historic jazz & Black arts landmark.
Warehouse Live — hip-hop, EDM, pop, experimental, and everything in between.
Doc’s Jazz Club - Big band, latin jazz and jazz fusion,
Axlerad - jazz, rock and reggae

Houston doesn’t do one sound.
It does all sounds.

That’s why collaboration here feels effortless — the city itself refuses to stay in one lane.

As a Creator, Having 1,200 Square Feet in This City Is a Blessing

A SafeHouse Studio is more than “a place to record.”
It’s my creative sanctuary, my laboratory, my classroom, and the meeting ground for Houston’s best storytellers.

Here I get to:

engineer sessions that honor the soul of the artist
shape tone with analog warmth and digital precision
mentor emerging producers and musicians from Houston City College
collaborate with artists who carry the city’s legacy into the future

The size is nice.
But the location?
That’s the magic.

I’m surrounded by influences that stretch across cultures, genres, and generations — and every session reflects that energy.

Why I Love Collaborating in Houston

Because here, creativity is contagious.
Ideas don’t feel forced — they flow.
Musicians aren’t boxed in — they blend worlds.

Houston artists bring:

authenticity
testimony
culture
soul
experimentation
and a fierce desire to be excellent

As an engineer, producer, and educator… that’s the dream.

If You’re an Artist Looking to Create, Houston Is One of the Best Places in the World — And I’m Grateful to Be Right in the Middle of It

This city has shaped me.
Inspired me.
And given me a home where collaboration doesn’t just happen — it thrives.

If you’re ready to create in a place that celebrates diversity, innovation, and raw artistic expression… Houston is waiting.
And A SafeHouse Studio is ready when you are.

Houston’s 9,000 sq miles of culture packed into my 1,200-square-foot studio