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Members of Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir rehearse at Imani Community Church. Photos by Nick Lostracco. Click to enlarge.

Neighbors of Imani Church at 3344 MacArthur must particularly enjoy Monday evenings, when the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir uses Imani Community Church to rehearse. About 50 of the 55 Choir members are bound to be at rehearsal, so their delicious spirituals and gospel melodies are easily heard on the street.

The Interfaith Choir has been rehearsing at Imani for about ten years, bringing members from all over East Bay and contacts from all around the world. During their twenty-two years of existence, they have performed at the Monterey, New Orleans, and Russian River Jazz Festivals; in Australia, Israel, Florida, and Georgia; with Linda Ronstadt, Jon Hendricks, John Denver, Tremain Hawkins, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and for Bishop Tutu and Nelson Mandela; as well as for churches and other groups around the local area. They do about 30 concerts a year.

Recently, the Choir traveled to Arcata, six hours north on a bus, to sing at Humboldt State and at a prayer breakfast with another church choir they call "an offshoot." "We performed at that church just after the Rodney King affair," explained Dr. Ed Schmookler, a bass in the group. "It was tremendously healing and inspiring for all of us, and they decided to try to put together a similar group. And now their group is terrific!"

By "a similar group," Dr. Schmookler means one formed of people from all faiths and those whose only faith is in the power of song. As well, the group is of every color and ethnicity. The Choir was established 22 years ago by Terrence Kelly, a West Oakland native who wanted to spread the love of the African American music he grew up with. (His mother, Fay Kelly, was also director of a gospel choir; his father, Ed Kelly, was a jazz musician). But his other goal was to exhibit an interracial and intercultural group functioning in harmony, both literally and figuratively.'

As multicultural as they get, however, Director Kelly keeps the Interfaith Choir's gospel and religious foundations fully in view. "You gotta worry God, as the old ladies used to say," he said at one point during a May rehearsal, urging the choir to "Pray whatever way you do" that the right concerts would come through. In asking for choir agreement, Kelly invariably requests the Black Baptist version, "Can I get an 'Amen' here?" At their free concert in April, they started "with a prayer, because that is what this music is."

The group is as much a product of Kelly's careful musicianship as of his years in religion. Standards are high, with competitive auditions and required attendance at rehearsals and performances. A youth group of 25 to 30 teenagers graduates to become well-trained adult members, and members can also take advantage of a pre-rehearsal voice lesson free to members.

At one May rehearsal, the Choir spent fifteen minutes getting one syllable (in four parts) to sound like both a train whistle and a beautiful note. At an April rehearsal, Assistant Director Paul Kim pulled apart "I Hope I Join the Band" for almost an hour, with such exercises as having the group pronounce "mercy" in the musical form "mahci," and making the sections listen to each other, before he let them rip into the whole piece. But few complaints are heard; most seem to echo the mother of one the youth group's Kyle Kaley: "He lives for it, basically."

The Interfaith Gospel Choir will perform at the Art and Soul Festival over Labor Day weekend. For details about that and other performances, auditions, and contacts, consult the Web site at www.OIGC.org., or call the office at 839-4316.

Ed. note. Playwright and poet Judith Offer is also the newest member of the Metro Board of Directors. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Board member, please e-mail metroreaders\@earthlink.net or leave a message at 287-2655.