We recently connected with Jim Trotta Davis and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jim Trotta , thanks for joining us today. Do you have an agent or someone (or a team) that helps you secure opportunities and compensation for your creative work? How did you meet you, why did you decide to work with them, why do you think they decided to work with you?

I signed a deal in 2023 with APM Music (Associated Production Music), a prominent production music library company owned by Universal and Sony. The experience unfolded in a remarkable way. Adam Taylor, the president of the company, attended one of my Sunday sound bath meditation sessions at Meditation Mount in Ojai, California. He resonated with the music and decided to purchase my album package, which included an album download card and a pair of hand tie-dyed socks from Betties Baked. Later that same day, I encountered him again at Libby Park during the Ojai Music Festival. I felt there might be a purpose behind our second meeting, so the following day, I reached out to him to inquire if APM had any interest in my music. He kindly passed my work along to Edwina Travis-Chin, the VP of music content and strategy, to assess its potential fit. Within a few days, Edwina reached out to me, expressing a strong interest in my sound bath meditation music style. She proposed curating an album to be included in their library for use in films, television, and various visual content projects. After carefully reviewing my music collection, Edwina selected and organized a 22-track album titled Suburbanoid Sound Bath Meditations. This album was officially added to their library in January 2024 and is now accessible to professionals in production and film. I feel incredibly thankful for this opportunity, especially since I had often been told that my tranquil sound bath meditation music would be a great fit for film soundtracks, yet I had no clear path to make that happen.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a musician, composer, producer, filmmaker, and facilitator of sound bath meditation. My journey with music began at the age of nine, and I share my creative works under the name Suburbanoid. My latest album, titled Suburbanoid Sound Bath Meditations, was released by APM Music (Universal/Sony) in January 2024 and is now featured in their production music library. For the past four years, I have been hosting a Sunday Sound Bath Meditation at Meditation Mount in Ojai, California. This immersive experience lasts sixty minutes and incorporates a variety of instruments, including the Fusion Sitar, Tibetan and Crystal Singing bowls, Gong, Chimes, Ebow guitar, Sound drones, and Vocals. Participants can enjoy this experience either in the beautiful auditorium or outside at the View Point, both offering stunning views of the valley. Additionally, I lead a monthly Suburbanoid Deep Resonance Sound Bath Meditation every second Saturday, which concludes with a collective meditation focused on peace. Recently, I started a Friday Night Sound Bath Meditation at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center and a Full Moon Sound Bath Meditation at Thrive Health and Wellness Collective, held outdoors on the Bamboo rooftop patio in Venice, Los Angeles.
I also provide private sessions for small groups and corporate wellness programs. The demand for corporate wellness days, workshops, and events is on the rise, as organizations increasingly understand the significance of mental and physical well-being for their employees. This has led to the incorporation of group wellness activities, such as sound bath meditations, aimed at enhancing employee health and happiness.
A sound bath is a meditative experience that utilizes sound vibrations from various musical instruments to promote relaxation. Participants typically lie down on yoga mats, blankets, and pillows, allowing the soothing sounds to wash over them. These sessions can help alleviate stress, promote relaxation, and calm the nervous system, often resulting in a deep sense of peace. Variations of sound baths have been practiced in different cultures around the world for nearly 5,000 years.

Tranquility, my latest short film, made its debut at the Ojai Underground Film Festival in September 2024. It was my first experience watching a film on the big screen at a festival, and I truly valued the moment. You can check out the short film at Suburbanoid.com.

“Peace Chant (Heart Chakra),” my most recent song (sound meditation), is currently accessible on all streaming platforms and retail outlets.
Suppoorting musicians by purchasing their work remains the best way to help them, while also giving people the chance to own their music collections.
It’s a wonderful way to create harmony in the music world.

A little history-
I began my sound meditation journey over 20 years ago while taking a meditation class at Delgado College in New Orleans. During this period, I started producing music to assist with meditation. In 2008, I had the opportunity to record my debut music meditation album, “Lite Roast,” in Ojai, California. The album was inspired by the town of Ojai and the Full Moon ceremonies I performed at Meditation Mount. I traveled across the country several times and presented this sound experience at various yoga, meditation, and spiritual institutes.

I started providing sound meditation sessions to patients at a Malibu treatment center intermittently from 2015 to 2018. I continued this practice until my family and I had to evacuate because of the Malibu Fire in 2018, which led us to move to Santa Barbara. In 2020, I went back to Meditation Mount in Ojai to record my Virtual World Tour concert for Japan album and film. That same year, I was thrilled to receive the Responsive Artworks Award from the Santa Barbara Bowl and Arts Commission for this music series. With the award funds, I purchased a new Fusion Sitar to replace my old one. In early 2021, I began leading sound meditations at Meditation Mount on Sunday mornings. Now in its fourth year, the program continues to flourish. Recently, I launched “Meditation in a Bottle,” a USB drive that includes a compilation of four albums: “Sound Bath Meditation Volume 1,” “Lite Roast,” the Virtual World Tour concert for Japan album and film, “Crystal Bowl Chakra,” along with some extra features. This collection provides over three hours of calming sound bath meditation music. Available at my website.
Below are a few testimonies,

“Suburbanoid’s sound is filled with invisible powers. The frequencies create a healing vibration that is both powerful and transformative, yet also extremely relaxing and peaceful to begin meditating or go deeper into the practice. We listen while unwinding before bed to lull us into a deep, restorative sleep as each piece is composed with careful intention and exquisite harmony,” say Sound Bath listeners

Mike and Becca of Santa Barbara.

“My husband and I met Jim at Meditation Mount in Ojai where we attended our first experience with Jim’s Sound Meditation. After that first sublime Sunday morning, we returned countless times during our six weeks visiting the area and we brought many friends and family to meditate to the delicious, contemplative beauty of his music. As a result, I also brought Jim into a retreat I was leading. He worked with my group of 15 early one morning to help set the tone for our time together. It was a perfect experience for my group of business entrepreneurs. They described being “swept away”, “deeply peaceful” and “finally able to relax”. Jim and his music are treasures for the soul.”

Teresa Hargrave

Michael Lindfield, President of Meditation Mount acknowledges that “Jim Davis (the artist Suburbanoid) has graced us with the gift of weekly sound meditations. Through his musical skill and sensitivity, Jim creates a welcoming field of resonance that invites us to relax and enter into a deeper relationship with our essential nature – the tonal core that is the note of our Soul.”

I feel truly thankful that my music resonates positively with others. It brings a sense of relaxation and peace, allowing individuals to connect with themselves in a deep, calm, and natural manner. I appreciate the opportunity to offer live sound bath meditations, which provide a space for people to unwind in these meaningful ways. The fusion of music and meditation creates extraordinary experiences, and I am grateful to be part of that harmony. Additionally, I am delighted that APM Music has made my work accessible to the film and television industry. Collaborating with Hans-Joachim Roedelius, a pioneer of ambient music, as well as the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts and Meditation Mount, has been a wonderful experience, and I am thankful for everyone who has supported my musical journey. My gratitude extends deeply to my family as well. For more information about this music and the unique sound bath meditations, please visit www.suburbanoid.com.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I was living in Malibu with my family during that time. My wife and I were managing a campground there, while I also worked in Venice, handling maintenance repairs and performing music. In late 2018, the Woolsey fire devastated Malibu, leading to our evacuation and displacement. Thankfully, we were welcomed to the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai, California. The directors, Kevin and Sheryl Wallace, kindly invited us to seek refuge at the arts center, offering us a month-long artist residency where they took care of us and provided meals. It was during this time that I started working on a new album. The center featured a beautiful Steinway grand piano, and Kevin generously allowed me to use his Korg Micro Synth. I began recording late-night sessions with my dog, Lilybelle, by my side, which ultimately led to my first solo piano album, titled Malibu Fire Sessions, with Lilybelle gracing the album cover. From October 2019 until the onset of the pandemic, I held concerts to celebrate the album’s release, blending music with visuals.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most satisfying aspect of being an artist is having a unique way of expressing yourself. A means to connect to the higher vibrations that we all possess at our core.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.suburbanoid.com
• Instagram: @suburbanoid
• Linkedin: Jim Suburbanoid
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi-qZSesfxUn2dnSQ-o1tzw
• Other: APM Music, Suburbanoid album link- https://www.apmmusic.com/albums/APM_APMC_0211

Image Credits

Karina Arcia
Michael Lindfield
Jim Trotta Davis