Singers focus on religious roots with new CD: 'Church: Songs of Soul & Inspiration'

Jet, June 23, 2003

Gospel music has always been an integral part of opera superstar Denyce Graves' life, helping shape her views, outlooks and friendships.

And she figured it has been equally as powerful in the lives of many other successful Black female artists. Graves recently helped recruit an extraordinary collection of musical legends who focused on their religious roots on a new CD called Church: Songs of Soul and Inspiration.

The two-disc set features Patti LaBelle singing Way Up There, an original song first heard earlier this year when she sang it at a memorial for the Columbia space shuttle victims. Chaka Khan reprises her Love Me Still, Dionne Warwick added an updated, gospel-flavored version of her major hit What the World Needs Now (Is Love Sweet Love), Stephanie Mills contributed her version of Diana Ross' standard Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand), Jennifer Holliday covered Elvis Presley's The Wonder of You. Gospel legend Shirley Caesar sang His Eye is On the Sparrow.

The effort also includes tunes by Ann Nesby, En Vogue and Patti Austin. It also features profound words by Maya Angelou and liner notes by Toni Morrison. Graves contributed the classic Ave Maria and jazz singer Nnenna Freelon sang a version of O-o-h Child and the Fire Choir added a version of Stevie Wonder's As.

Graves, who created the project with producer Tena Clark, said the idea for the project came about when she was having lunch with a friend in New York and the friend pointed out that most opera singers came from the church.

"The thought came about just like that," she recalled. "Wouldn't it be nice to see how many women of different genres grew up in the church and went into folk, hip hop, who went where. That was a year ago."

Gospel provided her social outlets as well as spiritual connections and discipline. And she found out that was the case with many Black female superstars. The music genres they moved into were quite varied, but the roots were totally similar: The singers put their own unique vocal stamps on well-known religious, pop, classical and R&B songs.

Graves and Clark have taken very different approaches to music. Graves is Black and a major star on the opera stages of America and Europe. Clark, a White Mississippian, has been a successful R&B songwriter and producer. But both were totally committed to the project and had no problems getting the singers as enthusiastic about the project as they were.

Toni Morrison wrote in the liner notes for the CD: "The little girls in choir robes and pigtails who sang on long ago Sunday mornings grew up to fill concert halls, opera houses, cathedrals and arenas with clarion voices that now enthrall millions. As they once again stand before the choir to sing, it is obvious that, with all its grace, church claims ownership of their heart of hearts."

Morrison also said: "The unique sound of America itself-its cultural identity-is indelibly marked by gospel."

The collection also features an original spoken word composition by Maya Angelou. She said: "I cannot define the breadth and depth and width and height of church, but church can define me always."

Angelou can be heard reminiscing about her own upbringing in the C.M.E. church (Christian Methodist Episcopal) in Arkansas. "My grandmother was mother of the church," she explained. "She was my paternal grandmother and I stayed with her from the time I was 3 until I was 13. She sang the same song every week. She sang so well that people would get happy and shout all over the church."

Perhaps the most amusing moment of her spoken words contribution is her recollection of sitting on the front seat with her brother Bailey when one of the elders "got so happy his teeth flew out" and fell on the floor in front of her feet. "My brother Bailey and I fell out."

On a serious note, she pointed out that the core value of the African-American church "is the same as the core values of Beth Israel Synagogue" as well as the Catholic church and Muslim houses of worship. "Human beings are more alike than we are different. The core values are the same. This is such an important project. The reason I'm a part of it is I admire Ms. Graves and Tena and the ladies involved. My hope is to cause other Christians, Jews, Muslims, Confucians, etc., to look at their own values and understand that human beings are more alike than not. We're all singing how great God is. I liked but always disagreed with Tom Wolfe (who wrote You Can't Go Home Again). Home is always with you, in your bones. It's the same with church. When I treat you the way I want to be treated by you, I'm in church."

Jennifer Holliday said she came aboard as soon as she was approached because the church has always been a vital part of who she is.

"They sent us a list of songs they'd gotten clearance for. I wanted to do something that hadn't been done before. That's why I chose the Elvis Presley tune. Some of the other songs I'd already sung and they wouldn't be much of a challenge. I wanted to 'Jenniferize' it and put my own stamp on it."