South Jersey’s definitive, authentic, rock & roll band

Fat Mezz is a rock band from South Jersey that got their start in 2020. They began playing shows in the Philadelphia area and down the Jersey shore, primarily in Wildwood, NJ. After several years of consistently playing cover shows full-time, they released their first original tracks in mid-2023. The two-song EP titled "Fat Mezz Loves Cooter" features the beloved basset hound, Cooter, whose illustration is featured on the cover.

The band consists of Billy Thoden and Kurt Foster, both playing lead and rhythm guitar, Dom Levy on bass, and Corey Chodes on drums. All four are talented vocalists, constantly trading off lead, background, and harmonic vocals. The four grew up across South Jersey, playing shows and gaining early on-stage experience as teenagers. After meeting each other and playing on and off through the years, they eventually joined forces. They played under several different names before settling on Fat Mezz. The band's name is a tribute to Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow, a jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, as well as an outspoken civil rights advocate. Infamously, he was also one of the most well-known marijuana dealers in the NYC jazz community.

Fat Mezz's sound is rooted in a mix of blues, rock, jam, psychedelia, and soul. Their original music aims to reflect on their influences, including bands of the past and present who have been cemented as pioneers and superstars, as well as those who have undeservingly been forgotten. The band's goal is to blend vintage sounds with new ones and deliver them to fans of all ages.