STATE COLLEGE – Soweto Gospel Choir, which performs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 in Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium, is nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional World Music Album category for its sophomore CD, “Blessed.” The choir’s concerts combine earthy rhythms, beautiful harmonies and charismatic voices to uplift the soul and celebrate the spirit of South Africa.
African Spirit, the choir’s third CD, was released Jan. 30 and includes South African gospel music and interpretations of songs by Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. The album also features a cover of the U2 hit “One” with special guest Bono.
Tickets for the Feb. 22 Center for the Performing Arts presentation are $29 for an adult, $14 for a University Park student and $19 for a person 18 and younger. For tickets and information, visit the online ticket center or phone 863-0255. Outside the local calling area, dial 800-ARTS-TIX. Tickets are also available at Eisenhower Auditorium and Bryce Jordan Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; Penn State Tickets Downtown, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; and HUB-Robeson Center, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. University Park Allocation Committee makes Penn State student prices possible.
Visit the Center for the Performing Arts online magazine to hear musical excerpts from the choir’s “Blessed.”
Introduced to American audiences three years ago, Soweto has gained an international fan base and performed to sold-out audiences around the globe. The ensemble has performed alongside superstars such as Peter Gabriel and Diana Ross. The group has also appeared on major American television programs such as Today, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, A&E’s Breakfast with the Arts, and Emeril Live.
“The South African choir successfully coordinates intricate harmonies with hand claps, tambourines, djembe drums and soulful singing, which beckon all to reclaim their spirit,” points out a writer for Vibe. “[The choir] has a cornucopia of remarkable voices: sharp, sweet, kindly, raspy and incantatory leads above a magnificently velvety blend,” writes a New York Times critic.
In an era of over-hyped and over-marketed synthetic music, the choir fills a void for worldwide audiences in search of messages of love, joy and hope. The ensemble’s rich vocals, athletic dance and vibrantly colored traditional clothing tantalize the senses.
“Soweto Gospel Choir makes our world seem beautifully small,” observes a writer for O, The Oprah Magazine. “The twenty-six-member group performs in six languages, blending traditional hymns, Western pop and their native South African harmonies into a singularly joyful sound.”