With a husky tenor that is the epitome of soul, and with musical influences that range from roots reggae to gospel to neosoul to hiphop, Toussaint carries a sound that is true to his nickname, "The Liberator." His music is liberated from any boundaries in form or name.
Toussaint remains firmly grounded by his foundational pillars of soul and roots. He began his musical journey where most of the celebrated soul voices of the past began: in the church. The son of a Baptist preacher and a gospel singer, Toussaint spent the majority of his youth singing in various churches in and around his home state of Indiana. Following a relocation to Boston in 2001, he began to sing with a wide range of groupd where he learned to jump easily from the blues, to old school R&B, to funk, to reggae.
In 2006, word of Toussaint's vocal prowesses and songwriting spread to soul/funk trio Soulive, who invited him to join the band as their lead singer. Toussaint penned all of the lyrics for the acclaimed group's album, No Place Like Soul. Touring the world and performing at legendary venues across the world for nearly two years, Toussaint shared the stage with legendary artists such as Isaac Hayes, the Rolling Stones, John Legend and the Dave Matthews Band. Toussaint's stage performance, vocal strength and songwriting reached new heights during his tenure with Soulive.
Toussaint has returned in full force after taking a hiatus from the music scene in 2008. 2010 finds Toussaint posed for another swell in the storyline of his career. Connecting with St. Croix-based I Grade Records, Toussaint has recorded an epic album of original, soul-drenched, genre-defying roots music: Roots in a Modern Time. With the album slated for a Summer 2010 release, the first single, "Be You" is already ringing through the archives worldwide.
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