The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir delivers good news – the power and glory of 55 talented singers blending their voices together in rapturous harmony on gospel standards, traditional spirituals, and their own original praise songs. The East Bay Express has described the dense a cappella harmonies on their latest album, Hear My Prayer, as “absolutely divine,” and the live version, with the vibrations of all those gorgeous voices filling the Freight, is even more compelling.

Tonight, in collaboration with the klezmer band Kugelplex, the choir will present the premier performance of “Hungarian Gospel Suite,” a collection of traditional American gospel songs set to original music inspired by Transylvanian Romany dance music. Written by Kugelplex’s Dan Cantrell, accompanied by the band’s large ensemble of Eastern European folk musicians, and sung by the incomparable choir, the Suite brings together two ethnically diverse and geographically removed cultures in a unique blend of gospel and klezmer.

The OIGC grew out of a gospel music workshop at Jazz Camp West in 1986. Terrance Kelly led the workshop and has served as artistic director of the choir ever since. The son of esteemed jazz pianist Ed Kelly and gospel choir director Faye Kelly, Terrence is an Emmy-winning director, composer, and arranger, as well as a popular soloist with what allaboutjazz.com calls “an operatic range and a joyous emotional feel.” Under his leadership, the choir has recorded with Linda Ronstadt, Peter Gabriel, MC Hammer, and the Kronos Quartet. The choir’s outstanding band includes Ben Heveroh and Louis Burrell on keyboards, David Belove on bass, and Miles Lathan on drums.

Kugelplex, formed in 2001, features Dan Cantrell on accordion and saw, Jason Ditzian on clarinet, Jewlia Eisenberg on vocals, Michael Pinkham on percussion, David Rosenfeld on mandolin and violin, and Eugene Warren on bass. The group has performed with Joan Baez, the Oakland Symphony, and trumpeter Frank London of the Klezmatics.

 
The mission of the OIGC is “to inspire joy and unity among all people through black gospel and spiritual music traditions.” If you’re in the mood for a little joy and inspiration, don’t miss the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir going klezmer with Kugelplex.

Visit the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir's website

Visit Kugelplex's website

Listen to a track from the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir: