Jeremiah

On his debut album, Folktales of a Fatboy, Jeremiah delivers a poignant and beautifully expressive odyssey of original compositions. For those who are hip to the New York underground jazz and soul scene, Jeremiah has been an unparalleled force, having released two highly acclaimed indie live albums, Beginnings and On Her Wings…a Live tribute to Nina Simone. 1997 saw Jeremiah receiving acclaim from Billboard magazine describing him as “a songwriter with an innate ability for passionate songwriting that one cannot learn.” Folktales of a Fatboy offers testimony to that very passion with ten original compositions that infuse honest lyrics with melodic prowess. Jeremiah’s voice of timeless beauty and relentless power glides over the intricate back beats and harmonic contour of songs like “Show Me the Way” and "Why” while whisking you off to the warmth of instant classics like “Get Away” and “Extase”. Exquisitely understated arrangements are highlighted in the performance of Jeremiah and his collaborators. The musicians Jay Littlejohn (Stephanie Mills, N‘Sync), David Guidice (Tony Bennett, Bobby McFerrin), Jason DiMatteo (Chocolate Genius), Mazz Swift, Martha Colby, and Chris Eddleton (Claudio Roditi, Saul Williams) blend the subtle nuances of extraordinary musicianship and urban jazz with an exacting grace.

While Jeremiah was producing this record, he held a deep desire to create a classic album. “I knew my resources were limited but it was important to me to take my time and capture who I am in a live setting,” Jeremiah notes, “My experiences as an artist encompass jazz, gospel, opera and R&B, and I wanted to capture all of those elements in this project, particularly with the organic textures of strings and other acoustic instruments.” He also wanted to tell stories about the most powerful universal force – love. As a young boy struggling with weight gain and nicknamed “fatboy”, Jeremiah would escape into music to define romantic love, divine love, and mostly self love. Music gave Jeremiah the inner strength to overcome not only his physical challenges but to henceforth inspire others to overcome their own struggles with his voice and light.

From an early age, Jeremiah knew that he was destined for a career in music. Even his mother, a pianist for the renowned late William Warfield, acknowledged his calling from Jeremiah’s earliest stages of life. He began studying piano and by the sixth grade started writing songs after discovering the music of Anita Baker, Darryl Coley, and Sarah Vaughn. Jeremiah began winning national competitions and performing backgrounds for artist such as George Michael, Michael Bolton and Yolanda Adams.

Following high school, Jeremiah attended college on scholarship in opera. Although performing and receiving much attention in this new genre, the craft of original songwriting stayed close to his heart. “It was in the university where I began to hone my skills as a singer and songwriter,” he recalls. During this time, Jeremiah made contributions to indie label SUR compilations Mosaic and No Cover Before Nine. This gave Jeremiah the momentum to move to New York City where the enthusiasm for his original music and his compelling voice gained a healthy following and the admiration of his peers in the music scene. Jeremiah continues to perform regularly at some of the city’s most prestigious venues like The Blue Note, S.O.B.’s, Joe’s Pub and Sweet Rhythm while touring internationally. Join the masses, as we celebrate the long-awaited arrival one of the most authentic and relevant voices of today…Jeremiah.