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'Light in the House' The Black and People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir
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CD Review by Jack Nichols
The full noon trill…the song of me rising from bed and meeting the sun.
Walt Whitman--“Song of Myself”
Like all great art, I'd assume that if music has any legit claim on the higher purposes,
it should put us, as Whitman says, “in rapport with the universe.”
At age 20 I weaned myself on 12 volumes of Robert G. Ingersoll, the Silver-Tongued Infidel while listening, simultaneously, to the deathless voice of Mahalia Jackson, the great lady of gospel. Not surprisingly then, much later, at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Stonewall rebellion at Manhattan's Cathedral of St. John the Divine, I thrilled to the rapturous voices of the Lavender Light, the Black and People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir. Tears of appreciation flowed. Yes, and from an unrepentant Walt Whitman devotee. Today, as this goes into print, we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an American who would have loved everything about the Lavender Light choir. Everything. In fact, the great choir celebrated his memory just yesterday, again singing in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
It is the world's first Lesbian and Gay gospel choir. It is a national treasure. Boston, a hub of cultural awareness, was also, according to Bay Windows, “conquered,” and Lavender Light , it says, “blew” the New England audience away. So, if you're anywhere near Manhattan this Friday, January 19, or on any other day, check the timings and places listed under “Performances” on Lavender Light's Web site: www.lavenderlight.com. Why? Because the very presence of Lavender Light, a proud diverse assemblage that's unforgettable in song is a unique tribute to the human spirit. It is a unique tribute to lesbian and gay pride. It does what art is supposed to do. It makes one feel: I exist as I am, that is enough…
Lavender Light performing in a 1999 concert
Let's assume its morning. There's work to be done around the house. Why not start the day off more intensely aware of life's beauty? Not just an intellectual affirmation, but a rush of appreciative passion ranging through souls/bodies—one that evokes inner gladness or even ecstasy, just because there's an amazing joy about being alive. Or, perhaps, an amazing grace, as the Lavender Light choir often sings it. This new album, Light in the House, was recorded live before an audience of 1,500 hardcore fans. One admirer of the group told me something I'd already discovered for myself: “Light in the House quickly ascends into the euphoric strata that all good gospel recordings should reach.” This is due, no doubt, not only to the extraordinary singing talents on this CD, both male and female, but to Gregg Payne, their Artistic Director. So, if you're one to prefer euphoria over depression, if you'd rather be gay than grim, find out how a diet on this album feeds your mind/soul. If a relentless diehard skeptic like me can get a big rush from it, be assured: you can too. |
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