by Jim Harrington
Calling all Baptists and Lutherans. Attention Catholics and Mormons. Consider this an alert for all you Presbyterians and Methodists. No matter what your particular religious background is, you're welcome at Saturday's All Faiths Gospel Festival at Palo Alto's Grace Lutheran Church. All you need to attend the festival is the desire to hear a diverse selection of gospel music.
Grace Lutheran Church pastor Randall Wilburn sees the event as a way to bring a diverse group of people together under the umbrella of gospel music. In musical terms, Wilburn said, the event is an attempt to create harmony. "It's a diversity of sounds and people--with one voice," Wilburn said.
This fourth annual gospel festival will feature six local choirs: the East Palo Alto Boys Choir, Stanford Gospel Choir, Foothill Gospel Choir, Lifescan Diversity Choir, Maranatha Mass Choir of Hope, and the Palo Alto Mormon Choir. (Pianist John Landgraf will play between choir performances.) Expect to hear a variety of styles, from the smooth jazz of the Foothill Gospel Choir to the wailing vocals of the Maranatha Mass Choir of Hope.
"The whole theme of diversity is not just the people who come but the choirs themselves," Wilburn said.
Now in its fourth year, the fest has made a name for itself. It's considered a warm-up for the San Jose Jazz Festival. The top choirs that participate in the Grace Lutheran event typically are invited to the San Jose event.
"Most of these choirs, if not all of these choirs, asked to be in it," Wilburn said. "We didn't have to go chase people this year." The event raises money for youth scholarships through Interfaith Network for Community Help (INCH).
The following is a short description of the participating choirs: Stanford Gospel Choir: The Stanford Gospel Choir is known for its precise timing with its gospel a cappella. Discipline, Wilburn says, is Stanford's strong point.
"You cannot believe how together they are. It's like a drill team," he said. "It's very impressive."
But, Wilburn added, the approximately 20 member choir doesn't come across as overly tight. The choir manages some very creative arrangements with the vocal works, Wilburn said. Foothill Gospel Choir: The Foothill Gospel Choir performs unaccompanied spiritual vocal works, as well as contemporary pieces with the use of a full rhythm section. Their sometimes-improvisational style and smooth jazz sounds have brought comparisons to Manhattan Transfer. The choir was founded eight years ago and is associated with the Los Altos United Methodist Church.
Maranatha Mass Choir of Hope: This large San Jose-based choir is expected to crank up the volume at the festival by at least a few notches. The 65-member group performed at the festival last year and Wilburn says it was really loud.
"I mean loud," he says in emphasis. "It lifts the roof off the church."
"This is the wailing," Wilburn said of Maranatha's gospel vocal style. "They do what you would expect an all-black church (choir) in Mississippi to do. (They) get together and wail."
Lifescan Diversity Choir: The Lifescan Diversity Choir adds a little international intrigue to the festival. Each performer in the 30-or-so-member choir wears a sash with the name of the country they represent. This choir performs American gospel songs, as well as world music.
The Palo Alto Mormon Choir: This choir, also known as the Valparaiso Singers, isn't known for its gospel work. But that could change. This is the second year the choir, which normally performs traditional sacred music, has been a part of the festival.
"They come in and really go after it," Wilburn said. "They really want to participate." East Palo Alto Boys Choir: Twenty-five boys, ages 10 to 13, make up the East Palo Alto Boys Choir. These singers, all of whom attend school in the Ravenswood School District, rehearse three times a week. One purpose of this choir project, according to Wilburn, is to provide support for young men to stay in school and become productive citizens.
What: All Faiths Gospel Festival
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, April 26
Where: Grace Lutheran Church, 3149 Waverley St., Palo Alto
How much: Suggested donation is $10
Information: 494-1212
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