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Bilal to Perfom Free Concert at Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival September 21 Bilal is an artist in every sense – an independent singer, songwriter, and producer whose forward-thinking sound defies convention. His music seamlessly weaves together jazz, Afro-futurism, classic soul, alternative R&B, rock, and even classical influences, showcasing a style that’s always been ahead of its time. Bilal will perform at the 15th anniversary of the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival (PIJF) co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield on Sunday, September 21. The concert is free on Liberty Avenue in front of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAACC) in downtown Pittsburgh. VIP seating and experience is available for purchase. After studying jazz composition and opera at The New School in New York City, he signed with Interscope Records and released his debut album, First Born Second. He quickly built a loyal following through emotionally charged live performances. Though often grouped with “neo-soul, ” Bilal’s music resists labels—most notably in his unreleased yet acclaimed second album Love for Sale, and his bold 2010 comeback, Airtight’s Revenge, which earned a Grammy nomination. He continued to evolve with A Love Surreal (2013) and In Another Life (2015), the latter following his standout contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. During the 2020 lockdown, he created the EP Voyage-19 in a live-streamed, 54-hour collaboration with over 30 musicians. He later released Live at Glasshaus (2023) and his self-released sixth studio album, Adjust Brightness, in 2024. Don’t miss the chance to experience Bilal’s genre-bending brilliance live at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival (PIJF) co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield on September 21. The 15th edition of the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, produced by the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, takes place September 18 – 21, 2025 inside AWAACC with free concerts on Saturday and Sunday in front of the Center. In addition to the ticketed events featuring a Salute to George Benson with Dan Wilson and Jonathan Butler and the Taste of Jazz Party, the weekend’s artists include Branford Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Eric Benét, Bilal, Jazzmeia Horn, Etienne Charles & Creole Soul, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Tarbaby, Obed Calvaire, Keith David, Be’la Dona, Kandace Springs, Ella Bric, Nathan-Paul Davis, Michael Mayo, John Shannon, Ekep Nkwelle and more. SPONSORS The 2025 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival is co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, with generous support from the Mellon Foundation. Additional sponsors include The Wilson Group, UPMC and UPMC Health Plan, BMW of Pittsburgh, Visit Pittsburgh, Duolingo, and Carnegie Mellon University. Presenting Sponsor for the Libation Station Tent is Bacardi. August Wilson African American Cultural Center's presentation of the Jazzmeia Horn Quartet is supported through a Chamber Music America Presenter Consortium for Jazz grant in collaboration with Jazz House Kids and DC Jazz Festival. A component of the Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project, Presenter Consortium for Jazz is funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. Major support for AWAACC’s operations is provided by Richard King Mellon Foundation, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Heinz Endowments, and the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). AWAACC’s programming is made possible by generous support from its donors. For a complete list, visit awaacc.org. ABOUT HIGHMARK INC. An independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Highmark Inc., together with its Blue-branded affiliates, collectively comprise the fifth largest overall Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated organization in the country with approximately 7 million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and western and northeastern New York. Its diversified businesses serve group customer and individual needs across the United States through dental insurance and other related businesses. For more information, visit www.highmark.com. The Highmark Bright Blue Futures program‘s goal is to ensure healthier, brighter, stronger futures for all, and it focuses on improving access to care, quality of life, and economic resilience in the communities the enterprise serves. For more information, visit Highmark Bright Blue Futures. ABOUT AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is a nonprofit cultural organization located in Pittsburgh’s cultural district that generates artistic, educational, and community initiatives that advance the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. One of the largest cultural centers in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the celebration of Black culture and the African diaspora, the non-profit organization welcomes more than 100, 000 visitors locally and nationally. Through year-round programming across multiple genres, such as the annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Black Bottom Film Festival, AWCommunity Days, TRUTHSayers speaker series, and rotating art exhibits in its galleries, the Center provides a platform for established and emerging artists of color whose work reflects the universal issues of identity that Wilson tackled, and which still resonate today. For tickets and more information on the 15th Anniversary edition of the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, log on to https://pittsburghjazzfest.org. # # # |
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