Gospel Music

Getting your hands on scores and understanding how the style is set out for singers is not easy. Often taught without written material, groups sing in harmony using backing parts, harmony parts and solos with pianists that can ‘swing it’ by ear. Several publications are making their way onto our shelves. Popular Voiceworks enables pages to be photocopied and parts are clearly laid out. There is also a backing CD which would make great fun for youth choirs.  

Popular Voiceworks is a fabulous collection of jazzy and popular songs in the highly practical Voiceworks format. Packed with songs in a huge range of styles, from unison to four parts, the collection provides exciting new material written by the authors as well as choral arrangements of favourites such as 'Comedy Tonight', 'Straighten up and fly right', and 'Dancing in the Street'. You'll find soul, jazz, funk, swing, spiritual, gospel, disco, show, folk, motown, R&B, doowop, hip-hop and more - all presented with practical advice on teaching and rehearsing. There are plenty of opportunities to improvise, as well as guidance on using the voice to sing popular styles. An accompanying CD includes stylish performances of all the songs together with backings for most. This all adds up to a fabulous resource for all young and young-at-heart singing groups!

A collection of 20 fresh new spiritual arrangements for SATB choirs. Many of the songs are well-known to most singers, and some are entirely new. There are a range of styles, with a mixture of large- and small-scale pieces, both unaccompanied and accompanied. The collection provides singers with inspirational, moving, and above all, enjoyable repertoire.

Songs of Africa, Edited by Fred Onovwerosuoke, 22 pieces for mixed voices, OUP

African American Heritage Hymnal: 575 Hymns, Spirituals, and Gospel Songs by Delores Carpenter, GIA Publications, September 2001

N time Music.com

And of course, give the London Community Gospel Choir a call! - www.lcgc.org.uk

Also see African Music.