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"Folks said quartet singing in the city was dead, but it regenerated itself."
So said Rev. Charles Green, soul gospel announcer at WNOV 860 AM, in one of his spiels between acts during the mini-festival of mostly Milwaukee groups at the packed sanctuary of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday. And whether it's the case for other cities, Milwaukee has long maintained an enclave of the more traditional, harder driving, popular sacred sound in the face of church music that derives from and openly aspires to be embraced by smooth jazz and adult R&B radio. Here was a showcase of the health of a vibrant musical scene thriving on its own sort underground and word of mouth. If you aren't listening to ’NOV or local dedicated gospel station WGLB 1560 AM nor in the proximity of the church or businesses where handbills for this event were distributed, it's unlikely you were aware of this show that could easily have filled many seats in any number of alcohol-serving local nightspots. But then, too, the music here isn't meant to fill tavern coffers. It was sung to a higher purpose.
There's the ministerial aspect, of course. And throughout the three-hour program, hands and heads were occasionally raise in praised of the God being extolled in harmonies, vamps and solo singing so tightly plied. But the more specific occasion making the evening special was the recording of the latest CD by local nonet Doc Smith and the Disciples. If nine seems a high number for a quartet (though five voices are regularly featured in what's deemed quartet singing in both soul and whiter Southern gospel circles), understand that the number includes the group's instrumentalists.
Smith hinted that this live project may be their last, but that would be a shame. He has the kind of sturdy baritone that has served Marvin Winans so well for so long, with some of the growl that that has distinguished Rance Allen in gospel and R&B crossovers even longer. The band behind him, featuring two keyboardists, swelled and held back in expertly exercised sympathy depending upon the sort of vocalizing being laid down. The Disciples' matching black suits with white neckties buoyed the impression of a unified outfit, like a messianic musical mafia out to give Lord praise and the devil grief.
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Women were a strong presence at the show. O.W.’s Exalters made an impression not only a style veering toward The Clark Sisters or Virtue at their most tradition, but one singer who looks have a coiffure inspired by current gospel gal Tamela Mann's penchant for spiky blonde highlights, their black dresses with enormous silken, flowery corsages also rocked a memorable impression. The Holy Gospel Singers went for serenely festive peach two-pieces and a stylistic bent toward the fieriness of The Truthettes and Jackson Sisters in their prime. That is, save for the bald gent in a cream-colored suit who joined them sans microphone, but holding one of the paper fans seen among many pew sitters. All of the distaff groups concluded their sets by walking determinedly down the middle aisle in an almost lockstep unison.
For an instrumental, vocal and even theatrical wallop to rival the headliners, however, it took guests from Beloit. That may be because The Christian Jubilees had to try harder amid touchy technical issues that did a number on their mics. The two sisters and two brothers all sired by one preacher sing together in a way rarely replicated by non-kin, with some of the tightest song structures of the evening. Those male siblings are also the Jubliees’ bassist and guitarist, and neither were shy about displaying their prowess with their respective axes. No disrespect to the hometown talent, but seeing men in purple ties and three-piece suits with purple ties going into a bit of Chuck Berry's duck walk and incorporating a smidgen of The Champs’ ’50s instrumental rocker "Tequila" into an anthem for the Almighty was nearly worth the admission price alone.
