Home » Member Page
Jeremy Clemons
“If there’s a star here, besides the leader, it’s drummer Jeremy ‘Bean’ Clemons. His grooves are merciless and his fills make the earth move.” – Glen Hall, Exclaim.ca
About Me
St. Louis, MO native, Jeremy ‘BEAN’ Clemons gained his first experiences with music at a young
age through participation in the Royalaires Drum and Bugle Corps. This was an organization
formed by his grandmother after many years of her participation with other Drum and Bugle Corps
throughout the St. Louis area. Through the Royalaires, Jeremy was able to develop a high
rudimental level of playing percussion, which led him to attend Central Visual and Performing Arts
High School in St. Louis. At Central, he continued the study of percussion and drum set under the
direction of Thomas Moore and Robert Edwards. In addition, as a high school student, he was a
member of the Missouri All District and All State Jazz Ensembles and was a member of the World
Champion Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (1996,1997).
Jeremy attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, where he earned a BM and BA
in Jazz Studies. During his stay at NCCU, he continued studying drum set, harmony, arranging
and composition, and higher levels of jazz theory, under the tutelage of Ira Wiggins, Arnold
George, and Thomas Taylor. These acquaintances greatly impacted his concept and approach
to music. As the drummer for the NCCU Jazz Ensemble, Clemons performed at such festivals as
the Carolina, Grady Tate, Montreux and Vienne Jazz Festivals.
…”Clemons especially impressed as a young drummer with a big future ahead of him”. - Adrian
Jackson, Jazz Australia
After graduation, Jeremy returned to St. Louis, working the local music scene as both a sideman
and bandleader. He was also the Assistant Band Director at Normandy High School. In 2003,
Clemons moved to Brooklyn, NY, and in 2004, was recommended by the great Freddy Cole to a
fellow musician and friend, Grammy Nominated Vocalist/Pianist Andy Bey. Clemons spent two
years (2004-2006) performing and touring all over the world with the Andy Bey Quartet. During
this same period, Jeremy was also the drummer for Electronic Music guru, DJ Carl Craig.
“While there are arguments and hype about New York no longer being the creative center of the
jazz world, when drummer Jeremy ‘BEAN’ Clemons cut loose behind Rex, he unquestionably
demonstrated that there is still a huge difference in skills levels between an emerging New York
talent (originally from St. Louis) and most Australian and European jazz drummers”. – Martin
Jackson, Jazz Australia
Jeremy is currently co-leading the band Soul Understated with award winning vocalist/composer,
and fellow NCCU graduate, Mavis ’SWAN’ Poole. Somewhat of a dream for Clemons and Poole,
Soul Understated is a band that features a diverse and eclectic mix of musical forces. Through
Soul Understated, Jeremy is able to display his talents not only as a drummer, but also as a
bandleader, composer, and producer. Creations like this truly come once in a lifetime. And now,
ladies and gentlemen, introducing one of our many musical gifts, Jeremy ‘BEAN’ Clemons.