Soweto Gospel Choir

Singing-and-dancing troupes from exotic locations fall more or less, I find, into two classes: those from whom inner joy and vitality exude in song and movement, and those from whom it doesn’t. Perhaps not coincidentally, the skill, the range, the ability to have us gasp seem to correspond with that evident inner something.

With ten years together, training, building an eclectic repertoire, and travelling the world, the Soweto Gospel Choir would, you might guess, have honed its act to a fine art.  And you’d be right.  In singing, dancing, and talking, these people are the real deal.  How much of their inspiration comes from their evident godly beliefs (which they mentioned but didn’t press) and how much comes from a healthy group sociality or connectedness with the wider world, it’s difficult to gauge.  Certainly, in its short life span, the group has enjoyed recognition and high honours, including command performances before royalty and before its hero, Nelson Mandela.  Whatever the case, the troupe infected us with a sense of both its healthy vitality and its easy mastery of its art.

From the start, the concert promised something beautiful.  The opening song’s topic, fire, was ably reflected in the red stage lighting; after that, multicoloured illumination revealed the sumptuousness of the troupe’s attire, all with common elements, but varying greatly in pattern detail, and all saturated in colour.

The music was no less rich.  The singing was all gorgeous; the dancing was mesmerising in the way that African dancing can be.  (Some of it appeared even to be spontaneous, though it surely can’t have been.)

From traditional African tunes to gospel to long-standing hits — “One Love” and “Many Rivers to Cross” come to mind — to a couple of today’s hits, all of it emerged in brilliantly arranged rich harmony backed by clapping and accompanied by varied and interesting dancing, with some pieces backed also by djembe drumming.  Still more was backed by keyboard, guitar, electric bass, and drums, all in keeping with the songs’ character.  The jazzy keyboard runs over “Bridge Over Troubled Water” sung in gospel mode and a guitar weeping brilliantly over “In the Arms of an Angel” were standout moments.

But there were many standout moments.  At least one song utilised seven-part vocal harmony, something difficult to pull off without sounding too busy or even cacophanous; it was simply delicious.  Solo front vocalists were joined by second and third vocalists; others rotated, coming forward and disappearing again, throughout and between songs, to sing or, often in perfectly coordinated pairs, to dance.  Unusually for a gospel group from Africa, there were even acrobatics.  The entire performance was so polished, so professional, that it demanded consideration of where these people had acquired their deep musicality.  It’s evident that the instrumentalists have had professional training; but the culture in which every child is steeped in rich gospel harmony till the infusion overflows surely plays the major role.

The long, enthusiastic standing ovation the troupe received was easily given and richly deserved.

John P. Harvey

Image: Soweto Gospel Choir.  Photographer: Giovanni Daniotti.

Click here for further tour details.