It is always astonishing to hear classically-trained singers extend their technique in Negro spirituals. Last Thursday night, the Lydian Singers showcased their rich musical skills at the opening of The Jubilee Concerts—A Season of Negro Spirituals, a three-night concert series held in memory of their late leader Dr Pat Bishop, at the Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook.
Under the musical direction of Maestro Jesus Beltran Acosta Ruiz and the stage direction of Andre Largen, the world-renowned chorale delivered powerful renditions of uplifting, soul-searching spirituals. Edward Cumberbatch, who is normally very controlled in performance, became animated in delivering solos in songs rich with complex harmonies.
Bruce Collymore-Jones, in an article contained in a magazine handed out to patrons, wrote: “The Negro spiritual is the search for one’s true self. In this jubilee season of Negro spirituals, we Lydians stand on the stage of the Little Carib as the Jubilee Singers did over 100 years ago, with the full knowledge of the importance of the folk and Negro spiritual form to the finding of one’s self, knowing that one day we, too, will find our ‘home over Jord’n.’”
The spiritual was a vital part of the life of the Afro-American slave. It allowed them to express sadness, pain, joy, grief and hope. Negro spirituals, as the songs have come to be known, spoke of their journey through a land of trouble, and often African-American spirituals spoke of the hope of reaching an eternal destiny for which their people were ordained by God.
While most of the songs were sung a capella, the 50-plus members of the choir were accompanied on some selections by a 13-member brass and steelpan aggregation, supplemented by long-standing keyboardists Lindy-Ann Bodden-Ritch and Myrtle Cumberbatch. Conductors were Jesus Acosta, Patrick Bertrand, Lorraine Granderson and Victor Prescod.
Dance sequences featured in selected offerings were done by Dion Baptiste, Adele Bynoe and Allison Seepaul, with drumming by Anderson Dyer, Kwasi Hinds, Carla Sayers, and Xavier Phillips.
According to long-serving Lydian Barbara Jenkins: “A full Lydian concert series of Negro spirituals has long been an elusive dream of Pat’s. Perhaps she was sidetracked by operas and Christmas concerts, and outreach performances, but this weekend, on the anniversary of her earthly passing, we celebrate her life and legacy with this gift of jubilee which we hope will bring her rich and generous life to a full, fulfilling circle.”