The World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir
Blue Note131 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
WBGO presents a brunch performance by The World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir at Blue Note. The afternoon centers on the choir’s gospel program, rooted in classics as performed in Harlem’s Black churches today and shaped by contemporary gospel with touches of jazz and blues. The listing bills this as a full choir appearance, with no individual performers or guest artists announced.
The World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir draws its singers and musicians from Harlem’s Black churches and the wider New York Tri-State area. The group is known for power vocals, rich harmony and rhythm-driven gospel celebration, and has performed or collaborated with artists including Bono, Diana Ross, Gorillaz, Pharrell Williams, Sam Smith, Sia, The 1975 and Nile Rodgers. Their history includes appearing with Sam Smith at the 2018 Grammy Awards. A Montreal reviewer praised the choir’s “rich harmonies and upbeat rhythms,” finding it at its strongest when backing a soloist or singing in harmony; by the end of that show, the reviewer wrote, “there wasn’t a single soul sitting down.”
Blue Note Jazz Club is a dedicated listening room in the heart of Manhattan's jazz district, where the music is the focus and the space is designed to let the sound fill the room. The club features a stage with a small audience area, and the atmosphere is one of quiet concentration on the music. Shows typically begin at 8:00 PM with a second set at 10:30 PM, and the audience sits on chairs close to the stage. The club has a bar, and drinks are available. The experience is primarily about listening to live jazz, with occasional gospel and soul performances, and the audience often stays to talk and enjoy the music after the sets.