Jared Michael Nickerson

 

Born in Cleveland Ohio and raised in Dayton Ohio Jared starting playing bass in high school talent shows as part of the legendary Dayton funk scene which spawned the Ohio Players, Slave, Roger Troutman & Zapp, Sun, Dayton, Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame, Faze-O and members of Heatwave. He continues his musical development at the University of Notre Dame under the direction of Father Wiskerchen, noted for his development of three members of the band Chicago's horn section; after graduating with a B.A. in Business Management, Jared then moved to Boston and studied for two years at the New England Conservatory of Music. 

 

Returning to Ohio, Jared joined The Human Switchboard, where after three years of touring the Midwest & East Coast, moved with the band to New York City and immersed himself in it's 80s music scene (Danceteria, Peppermint Lounge, Hurrahs, Maxwells, the World). After Human Switchboard dissolved Jared started his own band JJ Jumpers; eventually joined the Black Rock Coalition becoming the B.R.C.'s first Director of Operations and booked the BRC's first two-day mini-fest at CBGBs entitled Stalking Heads.  When he left the BRC his position had transformed into an East and West Coast Booking Committee led by a select number of BRC band leaders, who had access to rock rooms all across the country. 

 

As a freelancer, Jared has played with The Roots, Katell Keineg, Marc Anthony Thompson, Catie Curtis, Marc Cary, John Paul Bourelly, The Raybeats and DJ Logic. He has recorded and toured with Melvin Van Peebles, England's The The, Bernie Worrell, Wadada Leo Smith, Darlene Love, Freedy Johnston, Vernon Reid (solo) and with The Yohimbe Brothers (Vernon Reid & DJ Logic), Gary Lucas's Gods and Monsters, Jeff Buckley and Tammy Faye Starlite and the Angels of Mercy. 

 

Jared co-wrote a tune, recorded and toured with blues great Charlie Musselwhite in support of "Sanctuary," on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. This CD found itself on numerous critic top ten lists at the end of the year and also received a Grammy nomination for best blues recording in 2004.  

 

As business manager for Burnt Sugar Index LLC since it's inception in 1999, Jared has booked Sugar performances throughout the United States and in France, England, Portugal, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, and Italy.  Jared arranged an eight-week residency at BRICstudios (The organization that presents Celebrate Brooklyn.) and negotiated the two-night debut of Melvin Van Peebles theatrical version of Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song for two sold-out performances at the Sons D'Hiver Festival in Paris in 2010.  Jared recently tour-managed emerging Concord Records Alt-Folk artist Valerie June for her Midwest, South and Northeast tour legs, including the set-up of her debut television performance on the August 21st, 2013 edition of the David Letterman show.   

 

Jared's television appearances include Late Night With David Letterman, The Jools Holland Show, MTV, VH1, The Tonight Show with Conan O Brien, The John Stewart Show and The Kennedy Center Honors BB King Tribute Band, which included Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, Etta James and the late Joe Williams. Jared also appeared in Nelson George's "Finding The Funk" documentary that has been accepted to numerous film festivals and can be found on VH1's website.

 

Jared has toured extensively performing at venues such as the Toronto Skydome, the L.A. Forum, the Oakland Coliseum, England's Brixton Academy & Reading Festival, The Beacon Theater and Madison Square Garden.