Bilal at Village Underground at the 2025 EFG London Jazz Festival

The first thing to understand about Bilal is this; there are no boundaries to where he can take his voice, and this night was no exception. With the annual EFG London Jazz Festival bringing a plethora of talent over a two-week period and covering most of London, Village Underground, with its brick walls and stripped back aesthetic, felt like a venue suited to a night of raw musical excellence. Surrounded by people in awe and intimate enough to feel like a shared experience, an expectant atmosphere prevailed through the opening set by act Arjuna Oakes Trio.

Not constrained by genres, Bilal journeyed through his catalogue, channelling musical expression with a living, breathing vocal instrument without limits.  

As with the most influential artists, the freedom and skill to take his songs effortlessly to wherever he feels, is mesmerising. From his 2001 debut single "Soul Sista" to "Sunshine" from his album Adjust Brightness (All Right Fresh, 2025), Bilal travelled through a showcase of material as though this was a single bubble in time. The backing band, Joe Blaxx, Tone Whitfield and Randy Runyon, brought together the evening's soundtrack, whether sitting gently behind Bilal's soulful tones or weaving through his "preacher possessed by the spirit" demeanor.

As if the crowd weren't satisfied enough, Bilal was joined on stage by longtime collaborator and friend Common. As soon as he stepped on stage the temperature rose. Launching into his signature freestyle, quoting his immediate surroundings alongside topical commentary and cheeky observations, Common once again proved his longevity as a poet, rapper and MC. A highlight was their performance of "The Light," the J Dilla-produced single from Common's Like Water for Chocolate(Geffen Records, 2015) album, with Bilal owning chorus like it was made for him.   

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