Soulful sounds

Mike Sciacca

When 15 soulful singing voices rose to triumphantly fill the inside

of the Huntington Beach Art Center on Sunday, it officially launched

a new era for the center.

Members of the Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles, under the direction

of founder Byron J. Smith, led the art center’s special performance

of “Jazz at the Center” featuring the program “Gospel Music Through

the Ages” in honor of Black History Month.

The chorale sang its way through a musical journey that celebrated

the works of various African-American composers of gospels,

spirituals, jazz and blues -- key components of the center’s Jazz

Program.

The chorale began Sunday’s performance with the uplifting,

rhythmic and energetic spiritual song, “Joshua Fit the Battle of

Jericho,” by renowned arranger Moses Hogan, who died recently.

“This is the first time we’ve done something like this,” said Kate

Hoffman, art center director. “This musical celebration is just part

of our mission to reach out to the community through a broad variety

of programs.

“We’re interested in addressing the diversity in Orange County and

offering programs that reflect our goal.”

In the future, Hoffman said, the center is looking to do

exhibitions and programs that will engage the Asian community.

Sunday’s performance was set in an intimate, cabaret-style

setting, “very small and very precious,” Hoffman said.

Fifteen of the 18-member chorale made the trip to Huntington Beach

for Sunday’s event and sang before a crowd of 75.

Smith, who founded the Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles in 1993,

wrote all of the gospel selections the group performed in the second

half of the 1 1/2-hour show.

The first half was dominated by cappella spirituals.

A solo piece performed by Smith also christened a new Steinway

piano donated to the art center last week.

“I thought it was a very nice afternoon at the center,” Smith

said. “The choir sang very well, and I was very pleased with that,

and we played before a great, receptive crowd.

“Our goal was to give those in attendance an experience relating

to spiritual, hymns and gospel music. I was very pleased with our

performance.”

In holding true to the sounds of “negro spiritual” compositions,

the Spirit Chorale, blending unique soloists together as one unit,

performed musical selections by such artists as Jester Hairston, Hall

Johnson and Undine Smith Moore.

The Spirit Chorale, an ensemble comprised of freelance musicians,

choir directors and teachers, has previously worked with big-name

artist Wynton Marsalis and on soundtracks for film and television.

The group has released three CDs, has done two European and one

Japanese tour, and travels extensively throughout the United States

for performances.

Sunday’s event marked the Spirit Chorale’s first performance in

Surf City.

“We were very excited to perform at the Huntington Beach Art

Center,” Smith said. “We have some following in Orange County, and

this performance gave us the opportunity to help the art center

celebrate Black History Month, and broaden our fan base as well.”