Singing with Soul

Lights dimmed and the audience quieted in the Reynolds Auditorium on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. Associate Professor Erik Larson (Latin American Contemporary Narrative) picked up his bass guitar and began to play as Professor Brian Price (Contemporary Mexican Cultural Production) joined him on his own guitar. Then the student choir broke out in a gospel song of praise and love. Their interactive performance, the first of two concerts in the 2024 Black History Month Concert Series, spurred audience members to clap and sing along to each song, some rising from their seats.

Held in the Harold B. Lee Library, this concert series gives students and professors of all backgrounds the chance to celebrate Black music and culture.

History and Performance of the BHM Concert Series

Associate Professor Gregory Stallings (20th-Century Spanish Poetry and Critical Literary Theory), who was already involved in musical events that showcased Hispanic history, invited Larson and Price to join the performances in 2019. After performing in a couple of concerts for the Spanish & Portuguese Department that year, Larson and Price decided to reach out to the Black Student Union and collaborate with them in the Black History Month Concert Series, an annual series since 2016. Since then, Larson and Price have performed in as many BHM concerts as possible. Price says, “We really liked getting the Black Student Union involved and giving them an opportunity to get up and perform and represent their music and their culture.”

In the first concert of this year’s BHM Concert Series, the Rhythm ’N’ Soul Collective (a student-created song and dance group that represents all African cultures), along with Larson and Price, performed songs and dances displaying Black culture and experiences. Before each number, one or two members of the Collective explained the history behind the song or dance. The Rhythm ’N’ Soul Collective choir, along with Larson, Price, and one student on the drums, performed five songs: “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” “O Give Thanks,” “Bless The Lord, “A Great Work,” and “More Like Him.” A few students also performed a step demonstration and a West African dance.

The Power of Gospel Music

Some main characteristics of the songs they performed, typical of gospel music, included strong vocals, “call and response,” and loud harmonies. While the professors were able to plan for these elements, Larson mentioned that the performance also carried a degree of spontaneity that he enjoyed. “When we’re actually performing, I mean, things happen,” he says. “You always do things a little bit differently, and that’s kind of cool. There’s a big improvisational component.”

Price, a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believes that the Spirit can testify through joyous gospel music, even when it’s sometimes loud. “I think gospel music is profoundly spiritual,” Price says. “It expresses a lot of testimony and a lot of faith. And just because it's a different approach to expressing and experiencing faith and testimony doesn’t diminish its value in any way, shape, or form.” Larson agrees that “it doesn’t have to be quiet and restrained” for the Spirit to be present.

Both Larson and Price have drawn many similarities between the messages of the gospel music they perform and the messages in Church hymns and Primary songs. One of the songs they performed, “More Like Him,” evokes a message similar to the one found in the Primary song, “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus.” Below is a small passage of lyrics from “More Like Him”:

“No I'm not perfect
I'm trying to be
All that he wants me to be
Be patient with me
I'm trying to be
More like Him”

Larson says, “You see how much of LDS Christianity has to do with that . . . . This is very similar. It’s cool to kind of bring those together.”

On April 10 at 7 p.m. in the HBLL Auditorium, the Spanish & Portuguese Department will hold the Beatniqueo, an annual performance celebrating jazz and poetry. Come join Larson and Price and enjoy a night of music and verse!