Quartet of Teens Sings the Gospel

Preaching God’s love through dance and song, a quartet of teenagers--the latest generation of the noted gospel-singing Winans family to hit the professional music scene--entertained more than 2,000 students at Reseda High School on Wednesday.

As Winans Phase 2, brothers Carvin III and Juan and cousins Marvin Jr. and Michael Jr. have been performing at schools and churches across the country the last few months.

“We’re so happy to be here,” Carvin III told the cheering audience. “We’re here in Reseda to make some noise!”

The singers, ages 17 to 19, swept their arms in an arc, shuffled and twirled in unison. Clutching cordless mikes, they performed two songs from their debut album, “We Got Next,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s gospel chart a few weeks ago. The teenagers follow in the footsteps of their musical grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, although with a more modern R&B; spirit than the elder gospel-singing family members.

In their auditorium seats, some students shimmied their shoulders, shifted their ribs and waved their arms to the beat.

“I loved it,” squealed senior Ebony Dolphin. She’s a fan of other Winans relatives such as CeCe because of the spiritual feel of the music. “It’s the same message with a different flavor,” she said.

The religious lyrics were lost on some boys who nonetheless enjoyed the dancing. “They were pretty tight,” said freshman Juan Zarazua. Translating for adults: “They’re cool. Their movement, their choreography--they’re good,” he said.

The Winans teens, from Detroit, performed a more brief set than usual, being squeezed between a student and faculty award ceremony and another musical act; and there was no time for the question-and-answer session they typically hold, they said backstage.

The message they have been spreading to other schools: “Stay positive,” said Carvin III. “And basic principles like obeying your parents and staying in school,” added Michael Jr. Said Marvin Jr.: “We want to let teenagers like us know that you don’t have to give in to peer pressure or alcohol or drugs to be cool.”

That they didn’t get to really talk to Reseda students “was a little disappointing,” Carvin III said.

But, offered Juan, “we do our ministry through our music.”

The act was praised by faculty and administrators. Principal Robert Kladifko said the performing arts, such as Reseda’s drama and music programs, are “one of the focuses of the school.” Acts such as Winans Phase 2 “is a performance art of today, and it’s what the kids like.”