There’s a New Baritone in Town
What do you get when you combine the dulcet tones of Barry White with the styles of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Otis Redding? If your ears work like mine, then the answer is Jacob Banks.
The Nigerian-born, British singer/songwriter has a voice that follows in the footsteps of these soul greats while maintaining a sound that is all his own. Whether it is isolated on a ballad or intertwined with more produced hip-hop beats, his voice has the power to silence even unruly crowds.
Banks first came upon my radar in 2016 while conducting my annual SXSW research. He had already released his first two EPs, The Monologue and The Paradox, and hearing them immediately placed him on my shortlist of targets for SXSW 2017.
Lucky for me, I was able to see him early on in the week of SXSW. I was blown away. I began dragging more and more people with me each day as I gushed about his performance. I caught him three more times that week, and all of those who were clueless tagalongs discovered what I had been gushing about in relatively immediate fashion. He was that good. He IS that good.
I never stopped sharing his music. In fact, I convinced Josh to see him in early 2019 when the Village tour rolled in to Austin at Mohawk. Josh even convinced some of his friends to join as well, so the chain of referrals continued.
Now, Banks is no small fry, and by no means is he unknown. However, I regularly come across people who don't follow the music scene as closely that are completely oblivious to his existence. That’s exactly why we started this blog - to share music we love with those who may not encounter it otherwise.
Jacob Banks is an artist I love. I cannot rest until this guy is selling out stadiums. His raw, powerful, almost guttural vocals will render you speechless.
So pull up a chair, pour yourself a drink, and treat your ears to his music. You can thank me later.
Happy listening friends.
Spread the music. Spread the love.
Cheers,
Travis
The first tune that got me hooked on his gruff vocals is the stripped down, “Unknown (To You).” This heartfelt song will get you right in the feels.
“Mercy” is my favorite track from 2017’s The Boy Who Cried Freedom.
You can hear more of the nuances of those soul/R&B predecessors in “Part Time Love.”
