Gospel groups perform Sunday

While some might be on their hands and knees praying and listening to sermons in their places of worship, those inside the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center’s Grand Hall will likely be clapping their hands and stomping their feet to the sounds of gospel music.

At 5 p.m. Sunday the African-American Arts Institute and African-American Choral Ensemble will present a free concert featuring three contemporary gospel groups, SoulACE, Sojourner and God’s Progress.

The groups’ theme, “Pressing Forward – No Turning Back,” splits the concert into traditional gospel music from the 1950s and ’60s and recent music recorded by new artists, said executive director Charles E. Sykes.

Instrumentalists performing with keyboards, guitars and drums will be featured, along with original works by alumni John Harris and Calvin Carrington.

“The pieces are of a sacred nature,” Sykes said. “Each audience member will have a different kind of experience – some sacred and some musical.”

The messages in the songs come from traditional Christianity, and there are many styles of gospel music that are from a larger historical tradition, Sykes said.

“You want people to be able to at least have the opportunity to hear some of the things they don’t normally hear,” Sykes said.

Sojourner is made up of all women, SoulACE is all men and God’s Progress has a combination of both men and women.

About five to six participants make up each group. They range from having previously developed knowledge of gospel music to very little knowledge, while the styles vary greatly from traditional choral groups.

“It’s not about being complicated, but it’s about the music,” senior Jason Jacobs said. “It’s about the important things.”

This will be Jacobs’ first performance with the group SoulACE. He also sings for IU’s
Straight No Chaser.

“It’s something new for me, it’s a lot of soul,” Jacobs said. “Honestly, I’m a little Jewish boy from St. Louis, Missouri.”  

He said he learned to work with people in the group to achieve the new desired gospel sound, along with fellow member junior Bruce Donnell who said the best part of the experience was the friendships he made through the music.

“Gospel music to me is just inspirational,” Donnell said. “Whenever something negative is going on, I think it’s an outlet for you.”

While there is a traditional barrier between audience members and performers during concerts, that barrier does not exist with these gospel styles. Hand-clapping and feet-tapping are essential, Sykes said.

“Anytime we can get the audience involved, it’s going to be a better show,” Jacobs said.