Invigorated by the longstanding relationship between Glasgo and Cunningham, the performances explored the history and traditions of jazz and gospel music, distinct genres that share similar musical origins. The performance featured 11 pieces, including two original arrangements by Ramsey Lewis from his acclaimed collection of songs, "With One Voice."
While jazz and gospel music are certainly distinct genres, the history of their intersections is expansive. Many of jazz's earliest pioneers trace their musical beginnings to the church, and their music often carries gospel music's rhythms, energy and emotional intensity, according to the Hopkins Center program notes.
"There's a lot of interconnectivity and sharing between the musicians of both genres," Barbary Coast lead saxophonist Joshua Kaye '13 said.
In Cunningham's introduction to "Bless Me," the first song of the performance, he emphasized the expansive nature of the collaborative project, calling the musical venture "enlargement personified." The Gospel Choir engaged the audience through an unrestrained emotional investment in the music, vigorously repeating the song's motif, "Enlarge my territory."
Glasgo has played in all but two of Cunningham's performances over the course of Cunningham's last 10 years as musical director of the Gospel Choir, a testament to the directors' strong professional and personal relationship. In between songs, Cunningham and Glasgo entertained audience members and their musicians as they exchanged good-natured quips and jests.
Members of the Barbary Coast praised Glasgo's direction and leadership, noting that his expansive, creative musical vision enhanced Barbary Coast members' relationships with jazz music.
"Don has done a fantastic job at broadening the musical experiences for the musicians in the Coast and for the Dartmouth community audiences," Eli Derrow '15 said in an email to The Dartmouth.
The groups' arrangement of "St. Louis Blues," a piece originally composed by acclaimed saxophonist Oliver Nelson, began with soft, fragile vocal arpeggios that grew in scope and volume as the song progressed. The song also featured a trumpet solo from Nathan Gair '10, Barbary Coast's only member who will be graduating this spring.
The groups' rendition of "Sunday Blues" featured vocal performances from two female members of the Gospel Choir. The song, which was religious in theme, emphasized human desire but encouraged listeners to seek refuge in the grace of God.
"I hope they didn't hurt you too bad," Cunningham said in reference to the song, evoking a peal of laughter from the audience.
Each term, Glasgo selects a guest artist with whom Barbary Coast practices throughout the term, culminating in a performance at the end of the quarter. This winter, Barbary Coast performed with Joseph Bowie, the founder and leader of Defunkt, a jazz group based in New York City. Glasgo took this term as an opportunity to finally work with Cunningham and the Gospel Choir as guest artists.
Members of both groups said that the close relationship of their directors eased the difficult task of arranging and reconciling two musical genres.
"Don arranged many of the parts for this concert by hand," Barbary Coast lead trumpeter Kalon Stephen '14 said. "He is so familiar with Walt's distinct style and way of doing things. The expected difficulty of reconciling distinct musical styles was virtually nonexistent."
Throughout the performance, the joyous rhythms and harmonies drew audience members out of their seats to participate in the groups' musical celebration. The Gospel Choir, dressed in indigo, engaged the audience with their signature swaying, bobbing and clapping, achieving a particular grace in their fusion of motion and sound.
To prepare for the performance, each group rehearsed separately during the first few weeks of the term, according to Derrow. As the performance neared, however, the groups began rehearsing together to arrange and coordinate specific aspects of the performance, he said. The collaborative nature of the project allowed members of each group to learn from members of the other, increasing their understanding of the similarity between choral and jazz music.
"We've had to adjust to rehearsing not with just a handful of new musicians but upwards of 30 or 40 musicians," Kaye said. "[Singers] approach this music and have to think about it in a very different way than us instrumentalists do."
In preparing for the spring concert with the Gospel Choir, Derrow, the Barbary Coast's drummer, has expanded his musical interests, he said.
"I had never really listened to or played gospel music before, so this has been a great experience and I hope I get the opportunity to play with the Gospel Choir again," Derrow said.
The performance ended with "Pass Me Not," an exuberant, forceful celebration of God's mercy and understanding. By the song's end, nearly the entire audience a collection of students, Upper Valley community members and professors rose from their seats to dance and clap along with the choir.
"There really is nothing like playing gospel it's such joyous, expressive and exciting music," Kaye said. "It's hard not to find yourself really getting into what you're playing."
Glasgo and Cunningham were unavailable for comment by press time.
