Waleed Abdulhamid
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist, producer and film maker, Waleed Abdulhamid, has been an active member of the Toronto music scene, since his arrival in Canada in 1992. He demonstrates his versatility on guitar, bass, drums, flute, harmonica, kirin, bass kirin, darabhuka, marimba, balimbo, congas, bongos, djembe, dumbek and tama. He is known for his striking vocals, his innovative bass technique and his speed and precision on percussion.
Waleed is one of the 12 resident artists at the Young Center for Performing Arts. He is often selected to sit on grant-reviewing juries for several Canadian Art Councils. Waleed has played, toured and recorded with the pop/rock band, The Claymen, African band, AfroNubians, world jazz artist, Mosa Neshama and reggae band, Solid Rock. Waleed has played and recorded with David Clayton Thomas from the Grammy award winning band "Blood, Sweat & Tears as well as with the Motown Legend Band "The Drifters". He also played and recorded with the well known composer/pianist/organist Doug Riley. In addition, Waleed has played with a large number of well known artists, Jackie Richardson, Julie Black, Karyn White, Deborah Cox and presently Zaki Ibrahim. He has also recorded with jazz bass player Paul Novotny, on a Honda promotion, and with jazz pianists David Johanns and Joe Sealy. Waleed was a founding member of award-winning African bands, Radio Nomad and Balimbo. He is the founding member of the African Jazz band Waleed Kush and the hip/hop band Kings of Kush. He has also worked extensively as a studio musician and arranger with many local R&B bands. He has appeared at Canadian festivals such as Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, The Downtown Jazz Festivals of Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver, The Toronto Street Festival, Afrofest (Queenspark), the CJRT Colour of Jazz Festival (Ontario Place), Rhythms of the World Festival and WOMAD (Harbourfront) of Toronto, the Vancouver Downtown Festival, the Atlantic Festival and the Hillside Festival.
Waleed is the film director of the award winning documentary Let's Find Away. As music and theatre director Waleed has directed a series of shows at the Caliban Arts Theatre (Freedom Live), Inner Stage, and various dance companies.
Waleed is also renown for his teaching abilities. Waleed is a teacher at Humber College. He also teaches a "World of Music" at Hart House - University of Toronto, Toronto District School Board where he has taught music in various high schools, Full Circle Productions and private tutorials. He has also facilitated many workshops in different music schools.
Waleed has written, composed and produced music for several TV shows. This includes a series of documentaries for the Discovery Channel, a documentary about "Hajj" for CBC, the "11th hour" on CFTO and a series of documentaries for the History channel including "Lumamba" as well as the 4 hour miniseries about relief doctors "Whiskey Echo" that was broadcasted on the CBC, BBC, TV5 and Australian broadcast channels.
Waleed was born in Sudan in 1968. He began performing at the age of 6, when he appeared on a popular weekly children's television show and on a radio show in Sudan. Before leaving Sudan in 1989, he toured across his country, as well as Egypt, Syria, Kuwait and Emirate. Waleed was known for bringing traditional rhythms into popular music in Sudan. Many percussionists across the country emulated his unique percussion style. He played with top bands and singers in the region, such as Egd Ejelad, Abdulkarim Kably, Khalil Ismail and Mohamed Alamin. Egd Ejelad was responsible for bringing traditional music from ethnic groups all over Sudan and a strong message on social issues to the city centres. When he left Sudan at age 18, he performed, recorded and toured extensively, appearing at major music festivals in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Oslo, as well as in Finland and Iceland.
