*Acclaimed singer and songwriter ABIAH sets the mood for this holiday season with a captivating jazz recording of the timeless carol “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman.” The single was released on November 16, 2018, on Madoh Music Group, and available for download on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and other digital platforms worldwide.
Also, ABIAH is set to perform the single and a range of holiday favorites at a special live performance set for December 10, 2018, at 8:30 p.m. at The Loft at City Winery, 155 Varick Street, in New York City.
ABIAH, who is noted for his astonishing vocal technique, control, and high range as a performer, brings a percussive vibrancy to the traditional English tune, which has been sung since the 1600s. Recorded at Atomic Sound Studios in Brooklyn, New York, ABIAH’s arrangement is supported by Andre Chez Lewis on piano, Jason Di Matteo on upright bass and Chris Eddleton on drums.
“Christmas time holds special memories for me,” ABIAH explains. “The songs, the atmosphere, and feeling resonate daily because the songs mean so much to me and many others. ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ is one of those classics that I feel is neglected in the canon of holiday music. You hear instrumental versions but rarely the vocal these days. Perhaps the lyrics can be divisive of late but for me, they encapsulate the essence of the season.”
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” is the first of several holiday favorites to be featured on ABIAH’s full-length holiday CD, titled ABIAH sings NOЁL, scheduled for release next year, October 2019.
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. Influenced by a range of musical genres, ABIAH launched a solo recording career with Chasing Forever, which he wrote and produced and yielded him a top 10 single, “Love for A While,” featuring Shanice Wilson. The single garnered international attention, as well as regular appearances on VH1, MTV, and BET. ABIAH’s subsequent offerings include Life As A Ballad, Bottles, and his current release, ABIAH sings NINA, a tribute to the music of the late Nina Simone.
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.” The album features Lauryn Hill, Common, Lalah Hathaway, Usher, Gregory Porter, Jazmine Sullivan and Nina Simone’s daughter, Lisa Simone. Recently, ABIAH produced the vocals for August Greene, the self-titled project of the award-winning supergroup 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. Also, he 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.
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