Musical Mondays--Bilal Sayeed Oliver

photo courtesy of joetower.com

Today I want to introduce you to another one of my favorite male singers. Some of you may have heard of him, some may not; his name is Bilal Sayeed Oliver, also known by his stage name Bilal. For the unfamiliar, he is a jazz and neo-soul singer from Philadelphia; Bilal is a classically trained falsetto.

When I first heard Bilal’s debut album, 1st Born Second (2001), I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was unbelievably soulful and emotion-filled, passionate and intimate, with remarkable musicianship!! The infusion of blues, jazz, R&B, soul, reggae… makes the album, in my opinion, one of the most significant albums in the neo-soul movement. Oh and I think I mentioned his vocal range. His voice grabs you and takes you along the melodic rhythms of the music.

One of his better-known singles from the album is called “Soul Sista,” but for the most part, 1st Born Second was not a mainstream success and received limited promotion. Although it failed in some people’s eyes, Bilal managed to cultivate a following; his shows were in high attendance and he gained the respect and acclaim from his peers. Over the years, he has toured, worked on various projects with well-known and up and coming artists, and created two more albums; Love for Sale (2006) unreleased (though a 2XLP vinyl release is available in Europe) and Air Tight's Revenge, which is due out this year.

Bilal is an outstanding artist and his live performance is out of this world. While he is not in the mainstream limelight, he is surely shining in the underground music scene.

If you have time, check out the playlist below.

Resources:
Bilal's Wiki
Bilal's Myspace

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