Sweetest Day Soul – Bilal, Live in Detroit!
Doors: 6:00PM
Since 2001 Urban Organic has presented seminal artists such as Omar, Eric Roberson, Robert Glasper, Ledisi, Avery Sunshine, Jasmine Sullivan, Van Hunt, Erykah Badu, as well as Detroit’s own Dwele, Amp Fiddler, Kem and many others.
This fall, the series, which the Detroit Free Press dubbed, ‘the best of it’s kind,’ returns with seminal R&B talent Bilal. Fresh off an amazing tribute to Prince, he has been touring the states and wowing both olds and new converts. Philadelphia bred Bilal no stranger to Detroit has amassed a very discriminating fan base and promises to put on a viscerally moving performance.
If there was one R&B artist for whom the neo-soul categorization seemed limiting, it was Philadelphia native Bilal. None of his recordings resembled the sycophantic worship of soul artists who thrived in the ’60 and ’70s, and it wasn’t just because his voice — classically trained, capable of singing opera in seven languages — was so unique. While some inspirations were detectable, his recordings were wholly modern and became increasingly creative. His individuality led to being dropped from a major label, and he went several years without releasing any solo material. Through evangelism from his peers and word of mouth from his early fans, Bilal gained an insatiable following and was supported by sympathetic independent labels, where he was finally able to thrive creatively.
Bilal Sayeed Oliver came up in Germantown, a northwest neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A deep interest in jazz was fostered by his father, who took him to the city’s clubs. Singing eventually became more than an interest. He attended New York’s New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, where he received voice training, as well as training in jazz and big-band arrangements.