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GOSPEL |
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Usually referred to as a musical
genre, gospel goes past this plain definition. It feeds on different
sources, exploits and evolves them, only to accomplish its basic
truth: "to sing the word of God".
It is this intense spiritual quality in gospel
music that lifts it up beyond its mere form.
It is back in time, as a result of the horrendous
practice of forcibly bringing Africans to America to be slaves,
that we find the roots of the African-American culture, a blend
of different traditions.
From the "Nigro Spirituals" which
spread religious and choral songs, generation after generation,
two centuries go by before meeting the first scores and written
lyrics.
In the "Call & Response" songs someone would lead
out in song, while the others responded in unison "a cappella"
(slaves were not allowed to have instruments), enriching the
sound with hand clapping and dancing.
As time goes by, musical instruments their right
place along with music, lyrics and dance, rendering gospel performances
a perfect blend in the service of God and mankind.
Thomas A. Dorsey, pianist and composer, author of "Precious
Lord, take my hand", around the 20's is considered by many
gospel devotees to be "the father of Gospel music".
In the 50's pioneer black groups spring
up, such as the women's "Caravan" and the men's quartet
"Golden Gate Quartet".
They toured America - performing in theaters, churches, and
concert halls - gathering a large consensus among the audiences.
Likewise, others soloists-artists like
Mahalia Jackson and of late Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker,
Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston herself, have turned to gospel
to nourish their sound.
They have helped to spread gospel music from parish churches
into the mainstream of music all around the world.
Oh, Happy Day, the anthem of gospel music
is a 7th century Baptist hymn, readjusted and performed at Madison
Square Garden - New York, in 1969, during a international gospel
meeting.
The extraordinary artist Edwin Hawkins, performed with a 50
element juvenile choir, an alto female voice and a pianistic
jazz accompaniment, boosted by drums, bass and percussions.
This can be considered the very beginning of contemporary gospel.
In gospel music the "Mass Choirs"
replaced the quartets in terms of overall popularity.
They can be made up of even one hundred singers, directed and
harmonized for 4/5 voices.
The Hammond organ joins the traditional instruments as a distinguished
element, while new gospel artists like Ron Kenoly, Richard Smallwood,
André Crouch, Daryl Coley experiment and mix up different
music styles: jazz, pop, rock and rhythm 'n' blues, down to
the urban or Latin, rap and hip-hop rhythms, of the newest gospel
generations including Kurt Carr, Fred Hammond or Kirk Franklin.
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