About Zen Jam Graphic Design Graphic Design company in San Francisco, United States
In graphic design I specialize in magazines books and music packaging. Ive been working with Metallica for 16 years and have done a number of projects for Motorhead and for various musicians in the Bay Area. Before moving to San Francisco in 1999 I lived in Honolulu where I worked as production manager on Pacifica magazine the in-flight magazine for Continental Micronesia Airlines and as a freelance designer for Hawaiian Airlines in-flight Hana Hou. Before that I lived in New York City where I worked first as an economist then as a computer programmer then as a musician.
Most of my recent work has been art directing Metallicas quarterly publication So What! Heres a link to the most recent set of issues. The magazine is one of Metallicas key offerings to their fans.
I like to take on big projects assembling a team of freelancers and acting as art director and project manager. I work closely with writers where design is developed concurrently with editorial guiding the process of visually organizing editorial content into a coherent and beautiful product. A recent example of this collaborative approach was working with Kirk Hammett on his book Too Much Horror Business.
In New York in 1981 some art school friends started a rock band and after showing I could play more than two chords I was recruited. Within 3 years I quit my day job and embarked on a music career. I played guitar in a number of New York bands for singer-songwriter Mary Kelley and bass for Twin Peaks chanteuse Julee Cruise. I was a live sound engineer at Folk City and 8BC and a recording engineer at Harold Dessau Recording. I helped run an alternative music venue in the East Village called the Love Club.
In 1991 I left music for a career in graphic design. Under the radar I continued to work on music both my own and in collaboration with some talented friends. In 2006 bluesman Rob K asked me to help him with a concept album based on Dantes ’Purgatorio.’ I produced co-wrote engineered and played multiple instruments on the album called the Purgatory Home Companion. In 2007 I reconnected in San Francisco with Mary Kelley and we started working together again a collaboration continues to this day. In 2013 Bond Bergland asked me to play guitar for a reunion tour of his influential Industrial rock group Factrix.
Since late 2016 I have been working as production director for Other Minds a leading organization for new and experimental music located in San Francisco. In addition to concert production I handle their graphic design and manage their web site.
Mark Abramson has been an integral part of our band magazine SoWhat!. He created a look that captured the essence of our band in print. He made the fanzine a professional magazine that other bands could only dream of publishing. Without his vision and expertise our connection with our fans wouldnt be where it is today. His ability to mix our vision with his to create a captivating piece for the reader is a gift. He has been a talented and positive addition to Metallica.
I would like to convey my highest endorsement of Mark Abramson both personally and professionally as an art director designer and production manager.
In my role as President of Metallicas fan club I seek out and value those resources that can provide reliable turnkey service of impeccable quality. It is essential that these services be delivered on time on budget and with minimal oversight. For the last 16 years I have relied on Mark to produce Metallicas fan magazine So What! to meet and exceed all of these expectations. As the sole designer and production manager of this printed publication Mark was responsible for communicating Metallicas visual brand to its most loyal followers. His work was consistently outstanding!
