Legacy of African-American artistry shines at ‘Gospel Voices of OC’ Saturday at Irvine Barclay Theatre
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Singing gospel music requires not only talent, but conviction in the messages of hope, perseverance and community that lie at its core, according to artist, educator and performer Chantrell Lewis. That’s not always easy to muster while caught up in the pressure and responsibilities of day-to-day life.
She recalled struggling through one rehearsal session while working on the song “Jesus will Work it Out.”
“I needed a little more oomph, but I’m like, for some of us Jesus is still working it out,” Lewis said. “So I’m singing it, but I think the challenges of a gospel singer are the challenges of faith … it’s a matter of faith and knowing the song doesn’t only belong to you. It belongs to the people who are listening to the words you are singing, and there’s a need for those words.”
She and about 100 other performers leaned on each other to hone their craft during a practice session Monday at Second Baptist Church in Santa Ana, which is home to the oldest predominantly Black congregation in Orange County. On Saturday, they’ll come together to showcase the artistry and tradition of a genre rooted in African-American history for a benefit concert titled “Gospel Voices of OC: A Chorus of Change, A Legacy of Opportunity.”
The performance, scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, tells “our story as history through harmony,” the concert’s producer and creator, Debora Wondercheck, said. She described it as “gospel brunch meets Broadway,” featuring acting, contemporary dance, ballet, jazz and blues, in addition to gospel music. Saturday’s performance will mark its fifth year in production.
“I created it during the pandemic when we saw what was going on with George Floyd and the civil unrest in the nation at that time,” Wondercheck said. “I felt a calling to do a concert that would bridge the community and see African-American artistry as something beautiful.”
Those taking part in the concert include musicians from multiple churches, choirs and conservatories actively keeping the tradition of gospel music alive today, said Lewis, Wondercheck and Dwayne Roberts, Second Baptist’s director of worship arts.
They range from youth who may be singing in a choir for the first time in their lives to experienced singers who have been performing practically since birth, like 66-year-old Evalyn Frazier Elston.
“A lot of Black people were born and raised in church, and this is what we do,” Frazier Elston said. “You pass it on to generations and generations, and it keeps going and going and going. The kids come with their parents, and they ultimately wind up singing themselves.
“Gospel Music is part of the African American diaspora. It’s part of our whole heritage … It’s integral to America, and it’s integral to the fabric of what we do, our faith, our belief and what binds us together.”
Lewis said that for many singers, gospel music is a calling that “comes from a deep place,” and is “a part of their ministry in their life and how they want to give back to the world using their talents.” She also described it as a beacon that can help guide people and communities through periods of darkness.
“When you can’t see a light, that’s when faith comes into play,” Lewis said. “It comes into action when you can’t see the beautiful outcome on the way, but you know it’s there.”
“Gospel Voices of OC: A Chorus of Change, A Legacy of Opportunity” will be on stage at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine on Saturday, June 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $42 to $125 and can be purchased online at thebarclay.org.
