Getting To Know Jaime

Jaime De Jesus     

Musical Biography

   

BORN: Puerto Rico on October 24th, 1948

CHILDHOOD: Harlem in NYC, 125th Street, West Side Grant projects (several blocks from the Apollo Theater)

MUSIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Jaime began singing in the Corpus Christi Church Choir (as a soprano) at the age of 10 and performed numerous solos.

He and several close friends, including Lou Benito, organized an a cappella group named The Chants when he was 12 years old. He and Lou would later sing together in various musical groups for over 60 years.  As lead singer for The Chants, their success grew. They competed in the amateur show at the Apollo Theater in 1965 then later auditioned and were selected by Frankie Lymon as his back-up group for an outdoor street performance in Harlem. The group sang at the Renaissance Ballroom in Harlem in the late 60's as well as numerous shows and local parties. The Chants also performed and competed at Town Hall in NYC which resulted in the recording of a long-play demo record for Amber Records in NJ.

Jaime sang as a tenor/baritone in the Power Memorial Academy men's chorus in NYC (where he was attending on a full academic scholarship) from 1962-1966 and performed at Philharmonic Hall in Lincoln Center, NYC in 1966.

He moved to New Jersey in 1975 and continued performing musically as lead singer for an a cappella group called MEMORY from 1976 to 1990. MEMORY developed a significant fan base over time and performed in large venues including a live appearance on WCBS-FM in Don K. Reed’s "DooWop Shop". The group eventually recorded two 45 RPMs with Avenue D Records (1983) when their single, Street Corner Serenade hit #4 on the Top 10 Doo-Wop chart.  

MEMORY is described in the BillBoard Book of American Singing Groups - A History 1940-1990 (Watson-Gupthill Publications).

Jaime was the lead singer for the Oldies/ Doo-Wop group DESIRE from 2006-2013. He and the group performed in such large venues as Caesar’s Palace in Atlantic City, Lead East and were hand-picked by Jay Leno as his opening act at the Sands Casino and Resort Event Center in Bethlehem, Pa. (2012).  DESIRE released their first CD "Step by Step" in September 2008. He currently performs with his wife Nancy and his best friend Lou Benito under the group name: "DeJESUS Inspires" at benefits, church functions, assisted living residences, etc. They released their first CD, "Echoes of Harlem" in Nov, 2018.

PERSONAL:

Jaime is a father of 2 boys and 1 girl. He is a Christian actively involved in leading Bible Studies. (Link to Bible Studies) He enjoys computers, audio/video gear, singing and spending time with his 3 wonderful children, grandchildren and friends. He loves dining out, watching sports and going to Broadway musicals. Above all, Jaime loves God and values the time he spends praying for others, reading the Bible, preparing Bible studies, sharing Kingdom texts and spreading the "Good News" by bringing others to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.