The Liberated Gospel Choir

Gospel was a huge influence on WCD during his Blossomberry Farm days, when Sister Rosetta Tharp and the Swan Silvertones were always there in the background, inspiring the music we were making in the big room with the fireplace.

Then he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Bekins movers left all the Dowlings' belongings in this storage place that soaked up a blistering 105-degree sun for eight days while they were driving their car west. By the time they got there WCD's entire blues and gospel collection had melted and warped in the storage crates. The records were all ruined.

The Liberated Gospel Choir performing at Rutgers

He had not listened to gospel much since then, until he was fortunate enough to get as a student the amazing Kenesha Burton, who is one of the mainstays of the Liberated Gospel Choir, and who shyly but firmly let him know that if he wasn't getting out to hear the LGC he was no true lover of gospel.

She was right.

Nobody should graduate from Rutgers without going to hear the Liberated Gospel Choir, Rutgers' student gospel group. They are terrific, and if you go on the right night you can also see the Praise & Dance team, with choreography by Kenesha, who is not just a gifted choreographer but an amazing dancer in her own right.

Praise & Dance. Choreography by K. Burton.

These pictures were taken on Sunday, November 16, when the LGC presented "Sing Unto the Lord! An Evening of Worship and Praise." Though the LGC makes appearances all over the United States, this was the night they belonged to us at Rutgers. It was amazing, an afternoon and evening of extraordinary music, extraordinary dancing, and, dare one say, extraordinary spirit.

Kenesha performing: she's the middle of the three dancers.

Go even if you just like great music and dance. But if you don't mind being blessed, you might also find yourself aware of a bit of amazing grace filtering down through the air. May some of it land on your head and in your heart.

Intermission. The choreographer with one of her aging Rutgers English profs.