Lorenzo DiNozzi photo
It’s Black History Month and North America just struck gold-South African gold! Glory, hallelujah! The acclaimed Soweto Gospel Choir is back and winter just heated up, as the popular recipients of multiple South African Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award have launched their 2012 concert tour.
Since opening in Wilmington, N.C., on Jan. 24, the revitalizing 10-week engagement is powering its way through 43 American and Canadian cities, including dates in the tristate area, before ending on April 11 in Los Angeles.
In New York City, the Soweto Gospel Choir will perform in Brooklyn at Emmanuel Baptist Church as part of Carnegie Hall’s Community Sings program on March 1; in Manhattan at Symphony Space’s Peter Jay Sharp Theatre on March 2; and in Newark at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on March 3
The shout-about it, go-tell-everybody-about-it good news is that the Emmanuel Baptist Church concert is free! Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Presented by Carnegie Hall as part of their Community Sings Program-yes, indeed, Brooklyn has struck gold! And pure gold is what the Soweto Gospel Choir will deliver.
The resplendently attired 26-member troupe’s uniquely lavish concert offers a multidisciplinary experience that showcases South Africa’s rich music, dance and fashion traditions. The singers/performers’ great a cappella vocal tradition is unrivalled.
Their instrument, the human voice, is rich and distinctive, powerfully rendering an eclectic repertoire that includes South African spirituals, traditional Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho gospel songs. In addition are popular songs and folk anthems outstandingly rendered in English, such as Edwin Hawkins’ rousing “Oh Happy Day,” Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” Bob Marley’s signature “One Love,” Jimmy Cliff’s touching “Many Rivers to Cross” and Sarah McLachlan’s moving “In the Arms of an Angel.”
Created in 2002 by South African Executive Producer Beverly Bryer and the late Musical Director David Mulovhedzi, auditions were held in Soweto to establish the all-star “super choir.” Comprised of the best singers from Mulovhedzi’s own Holy Jerusalem Choir, as well as various Soweto churches, community groups and the general public, within one year, the Soweto Gospel Choir was awarded the American Gospel Music Award for Best Gospel Choir.
A year later, the choir’s American recording debut, “Voices From Heaven,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard World Music chart and landed in the top five of CMJ’s World Music chart. At the same time, their first North American tour sold out in virtually every market. The following year, they received a Grammy Award for their CD “Blessed.”
Subsequently, collaborative requests ensued for a project with Paul McCartney, Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Willie Nelson and a host of others on “Going Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino.” The Soweto Gospel Choir also participated in “In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2,” which features an all-star lineup of African artists including Angelique Kidjo, Vieux Farka Touré and others.
Other albums include the Grammy-winning “African Spirit” and the Grammy-nominated “Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre.” Their collaboration with Peter Gabriel on his Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated song “Down to Earth” (from the blockbuster Pixar film “Wall-E”) culminated with a performance by the choir at the Grammy Awards, earning them the distinction as the first South African group to do so. Their next recording, “Grace,” garnered another Grammy nomination.
Amongst the choir’s career highlights are performing at Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 75th and 80th birthday celebrations; making a guest appearance alongside Diana Ross, Deborah Cox and Danny K at the Unite of the Stars Gala Banquet in South Africa; and performing in Sun City, South Africa, for Oprah Winfrey and 200 of her guests, including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Tina Turner, Patti LaBelle, Sidney Poitier and Quincy Jones. The choir will soon star in a Pepsi commercial alongside Akon.
The powerful 26-member choir is an ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664, a series of AIDS awareness concerts. As greatly revered as they are for their music, the Soweto Gospel Choir is equally celebrated for their work on behalf of AIDS orphans and families affected by the AIDS pandemic in South Africa.
Through the choir’s charitable initiative, Nkosi’s Haven/Vukani (“to arise, do something”), they provide assistance, feeding and clothing individuals, paying for funerals for needy families and assisting the country’s numerous young children who are orphaned by AIDS. The program, funded with money raised at their concerts, has raised over $600,000.
For information on the New York City-area concerts, visit www.symphonyspace.org and www.carnegiehall.org.
AMSTERDAM NEWS
