The World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir
Blue Note131 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
The World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir comes to Blue Note for a performance built around modern gospel classics as they are sung in Harlem’s Black churches today. The billing identifies the act as a choir, but the available information does not name individual performers or specify the night’s vocal and instrumental lineup. Its repertory draws on church-rooted gospel, presented by singers and musicians from Harlem and the wider New York Tri-State area.
Identified with the Harlem Gospel Choir, the group is described by Blue Note as “the most renowned gospel choir in America and a preeminent gospel choir worldwide.” It brings together performers from Harlem’s Black churches and the New York Tri-State area, sharing a message of “love and inspiration” with audiences from different nations and cultures. Promotional material reports appearances alongside Bono, Diana Ross, Pharrell Williams, Dee Snider and Sam Smith, as well as performances for Presidents Obama and Carter and Nelson Mandela. The focus here is on modern gospel classics carried by the traditions of Harlem’s church music.
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.