By CASSIE MOORE / Guest Columnist
On Nov. 14, 2014 at 8 p.m., Gabriel Tajeu will be performing at the Shelby County Arts Council as part of his fall tour. Tajeu is a talented musician based in Birmingham who composes introspective lyrics and performs original songs.
During a performance in Birmingham, Tajeu spoke about his belief that the message artists convey is as important as their music.
“I don’t really like the radio today,” Tajeu said. “I think about the days when Marvin Gay, Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder had hits on the radio that were talking about social justice issues.”
With this in mind, he based his new single, “The Beat Goes On” on current social justice issues.
Tajeu describes his music as a fusion of R&B, folk and rock. While R&B has had the strongest influence on his musical development, other artists such as Ben Harper, John Mayer and Elvis Costello influenced his debut album “Finding my Way.”
“I think that most of the content of my album is about searching,” Tajeu explained. “Searching for love, for my place in this world, for reasons why love goes bad, for my purpose.”
His soul music is all about self-exploration and reflection, and his vocal delivery incorporates falsetto and blues notes.
In addition to developing his personal style as an artist, Tajeu is lead singer and rhythm guitar player for a cover band called Bonus Round, a local Birmingham group that plays for weddings, corporate events, and local venues.
See Tajeu perform live at the Shelby County Arts Council on Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.
For more information on upcoming events and classes at the Shelby County Arts Council located at 104 Mildred St. Columbiana, AL  35051, visit Shelbycountyartscouncil.com or call 669-0044.