As the evening progressed from traditional African American Spirituals to contemporary gospel pieces, audience members were brought to penitent tears and joyful dancing in the aisles at the Green Music Center’s Weill Hall Thursday, as Terrance Kelly, director of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, coaxed them into unfettered participation.

The Lighthouse Singers of Marin, led by Ulis Redic, opened the evening with three songs, culminating in a roof-raising performance by his wife, Dayanna Redic. He then surprised both the audience and the choir by telling her to “take it easy” and announcing her 4 and a half month pregnancy to the crowd. Choir member Chris Cella said after the concert was over “We didn’t even know she was pregnant. We found out at the same time as you!”

Oakland Interfaith started their set with tightly harmonized, crisply enunciated spirituals, evoking the Spirit of the South with their traditional pronunciations. 

Kelly educated audience members between numbers with small but significant insights into the history and development of contemporary music of all kinds that stem from the original African American Spirituals of the South, also known as negro spirituals,  developed from the blending of Christan hymns and slaves’ indigenous style of singing, as the Christian faith made its way into their hearts and minds, infused with the soul from their ancestral people. Kelly stressed that there would be no blues, hip hop or Beyonce without the burgeoning of the black music tradition through the wailing in the fields more than two hundred years ago.

Kelly began the set with one of the most well-known spirituals, “Ride the Chariot.” Next, the crowd was hushed as the dynamics of the second song, “Oh Lord, Please,” swung up and down, swelling from near-whispered tones to bold bursts of sound, then dropping just as suddenly as the audience literally leaned forward in their seats, straining and holding their collective breath.

“Ezekel Saw” brought twelve parts to life at once, bringing the rhythm of the spinning chariot wheels to mind, before again silencing the crowd as Nicolia Bagby-Gooding cried out in agony in “Lawd How Come Me Yeah.” Her voice slipped into a growl as she sang, “Dey sold my chillun’ away,” and the pain of separation was palpable as she repeated the refrain, followed by the lament again and again, “I wish I nevah was born.”

When the transition to gospel music came due, Kelly joked, “We need something happy after all that.” The crowd began rocking and swaying in their seats ever so slightly during “Psalm 117” as the choir rocked out to the words “Praise the Lord All the nations!” 

Sharing his mother and grandmother’s sage wisdom, Kelly addressed the crowd again, telling them to “be kind for nothing.” He expounded on the concept, that kindness should not come from an expectation of reciprocity or to make yourself feel good or be seen as good, but simply because kindness is in short supply in the world today.

As the concert progressed and people were still glued to their seats, unsure of proper gospel concert etiquette, Kelly explained that audience participation is all but mandatory at gospel concerts. For those nervous about singing, he reassured them that nobody expected a Grammy level performance.

“I have three words for you: ‘la, la, and la,’” he said at the opening of “Better.”

Special guest JaCoree Prothro, founder of the #liquidlovemovement, made a low key appearance delivering a standout performance of “You’re So Amazing.” According to Go Doctorate Go Media at newswire.com, “JaCoree Prothro is an Award-Winning Gospel singer who produces his social justice messages rooted from his grandmother’s legends and legacies. After the death of his brother in September 2016, the #liquidlovemovement was born in Richmond, California and introduced in Brooklyn, NY, using creative photos to gain supporters for the fashion world.”

Audience members obeyed the director and began to loosen up, most notably during the choir’s rendition of “Oh Happy Day,” and culminating with literal dancing in the aisles during the closing piece, “Everybody Dance.” 

Sonoma State University’s official Black History Month opening ceremony is Monday, Feb. 3, from 6-9 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Student Center. A full listing of SSU’s February BHM events can be found at sonoma.edu/calendar. 

Oakland Interfaith’s free spring concert is April 25 at First Congregational Church of Oakland. Visit oigc.org to listen to music and view Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir’s full 2020 calendar.