Press Release (3/7/2008)

MUSICIAN GIVES BACK WITH SOUL

March 7, 2008 (Hackensack, NJ) – He may only be known to underground neo-soul music fans around the world, but to the students at Hackensack Middle School he is nothing short of a superstar. A native of Hackensack, NJ and a product of the city's public school system, soul musician E. Bland volunteered his afternoon on Friday, March 7, 2008 to give a private concert for over 300 students at his eighth grade alma mater. The attending students were invited to the special event as a reward for achieving academic honors in the preceding marking period.

E. Bland and his band performed for almost an hour, sharing a selection of his original tunes as well as a cover song by the late, great Ray Charles that had the entire crowd on their feet, dancing and singing along. Toward the end of the show, Bland invited two of the students to join him on stage as backup singers. The two girls happily agreed, and helped sing his song "Necessary" while proudly sporting their E. Bland "Soul" t-shirts and a pair of smiles.

It was inevitable that an auditorium full of seventh and eighth graders would enjoy a visit from a professional musician (from their hometown, nonetheless). The experience, however, touched many of them in ways that transcended the mere thrill of entertainment. One student wrote to Bland through his website saying, "You've set an example for me to do well … I know now that I need an education to get where I want and make it big. Thank you deeply." Hackensack Middle School Principal, Andrea Oates-Parchment called the performance a "mountain-top experience" and spoke on behalf of the students, faculty and administration: "He is a positive role model for our students and he reinforces this message in his lyrics, which support love and family. We are especially thrilled that he wanted to give back to his community in such a unique way." Regarding his impact on the students and staff in attendance, the humble artist simply stated, "This is why I do what I do."

E. Bland is currently recording his sophomore album, entitled "Soulcentric" which is expected to hit stores this summer. His debut, "Just Me…" is currently available on iTunes and the CD can be purchased through his company's website www.reelmusiclives.com. For more information and to hear his music, visit www.eblandsoul.com or join him on MySpace at www.myspace.com/ebland.