Harlem Gospel Choir (New York/USA)
A fantastical musical spectacle, the concert of the globally famous and popular Harlem Gospel Choir, will officially open this years Street Musicians Festival, on Thursday, 4th September at 8:30 p.m., on the Freedom Square (Trg Slobode). World famous and charismatic, this musical ensemble from the heart of New York will prepare for the citizens of Novi Sad and their guests an unforgettable atmosphere in the spirit of modern gospel, with elements of blues and jazz.
Harlem Gospel Choir is stationed in their namesake part of New York, where it was founded in January 1986, on the date as the birthday of Martin Luther King, the greatest fighter for rights of African-Americans in the 20th century. The first performance of the choir was in the legendary “Cotton Club”, on the initiative of founder Allen Bailey, a superb manager with half a century long career in show business and experience in organizing the biggest projects, such as the famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire (The Rumble in the Jungle), concerts for helping the starving in Africa “We are the World” and “USA for Africa”, and the celebration in honor of Nelson Mandela at Yankee Stadium in New York.
The choir today has over 60 members from the ages of 17 to 70, and every performance represents a true spectacle of excellent, live music, with instrumental support, dance and vocal brilliance that can rarely be heard anywhere else. Traveling the world, with over 2 million miles under their feet, the members of the choir like missionaries spread the inspirational glory of this music genre on all meridians. The Harlem Gospel Choir has also performed for two of America’s presidents, Carter and Obama, two popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and they have also recorded and performed with true pop greats as are Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Elton John, Bono Vox, Diana Ross and others. The choir’s repertoire is made up of modern interpretations of classic gospel songs, as sung to this very day in churches in Harlem and all over America.
Gospel music is spiritual in nature, and has been deeply rooted in the history of the African-American community from the beginning of the 18th century to this day. Created as an expression of African slaves on the American soil, it combines folklore and musical tradition of their ancient homeland with their new found faith – Christianity. This original artistic expression has in time greatly impacted the development of the contemporary directions in music, and is considered today as the source of popular music of the 20th and 21st century – blues, soul and rock’n’roll.
Having in mind the role and strength of gospel, the only thing that remains for the visitors of the Street Musicians Festival to do is to surrender to the irresistible rhythms, close their eyes, hold their breath and feel total satisfaction with the songs of the world famous Harlem Gospel Choir.
