*Acclaimed singer and songwriter ABIAH will headline two very different performances, on Friday, February 15, and Saturday, February 16, at 9:30 p.m. at Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10003. His Friday night show will be dedicated to music from his 2017 release ABIAH sings NINA, a tribute to the music of the late soul icon Nina Simone. For more information on tickets, please click here. The Saturday evening performance will preview material from his forthcoming album tribute to one of pop’s most influential superstars: Madonna.
Known for his inspired reinterpretations of well-known songs, ABIAH takes on the Material Girl’s best-loved hits on ABIAH Sings: The Music of Madonna, set for release in the fall of 2019. Among the songs selected for the album, as well as the Joe’s Pub show, are “Borderline,” “Lucky Star,” “Open Your Heart,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Cherish,” “Take a Bow,” “Holiday,” “Into the Groove,” and “Secret.” For more information on tickets for ABIAH sings Madonna, click here.
“I had a vision of reimagining the American Songbook and there is nothing more American Songbook than Madonna for my generation,” explains ABIAH. “There’s something special about hearing the lyrics and melody within a new context. I’ve been able to accomplish this with other cover songs on my previous recordings. This time I get to tackle an entire catalog, like I did with my Nina Simone project.”
It’s rare that a performer will perform two different sets on back-to-back nights at the same venue. “Concertgoers can expect a soul-stirring experience on both nights, but vocally the approach is completely different,” says ABIAH, who has built a devoted following for his astonishing vocal range and captivating stage presence. “I get to be a chameleon of sorts as I turn on my interpretive hat as singer and arranger.”
ABIAH, born Jeremiah Abiah, is an acclaimed recording artist, composer, producer, arranger, vocal coach, and educator. A veteran performer with a unique style, he is currently a Professor of Voice and Songwriting at Boston’s Berklee College of Music as well as the principal of The ABIAH Way, a highly sought-after vocal coach and career development consultancy.
Raised in upstate New York, ABIAH began his musical training at an early age. At 23 years old, ABIAH left a lucrative opera career in Italy and moved to New York City, where he made his opera recital debut at Carnegie Hall. ABIAH launched a solo recording career with Chasing Forever, which he wrote and produced, which yielded a top 10 single, “Love for A While” featuring Shanice Wilson. The single garnered international attention, as well as with regular appearances on VH1 Soul, MTV, and BET J. ABIAH’s subsequent offerings include Life As A Ballad, Bottles, and ABIAH sings NINA. For the 2018 holiday season, the artist released a captivating jazz recording of the timeless Christmas carol “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”
As a producer, ABIAH partnered with three-time Grammy Award winner Robert Glasper as the vocal producer on the soundtrack titled Nina Revisited: A Tribute to Nina Simone for the award-winning Netflix documentary “What Happened Miss Simone.” In 2018, ABIAH produced vocals for August Greene, the self-titled project of the award-winning super group featuring Karriem Riggins, Common, and Glasper.
Some of his earlier career achievements include compositions produced on indie label SU Recordings; TV commercials, and background work with George Michael, Yolanda Adams, and Chuck Mangione. He also composed the theme song, “Little By Little,” for Nickelodeon’s “Little Ballers,” which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. He also composed “September” and “Foolish Heart” for the television series “An African City” on the digital platform VHX.
ABIAH is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Voice Performance from Syracuse University and his Master’s Degree in Voice Performance from the New England Conservatory.
For more information on ABIAH, please visit www.abiahmusic.com.
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