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Young learn of tradition, those who made it great

Thursday, January 10, 2002

By Ervin Dyer, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

On Tuesday night, about a dozen students, music ministers and local gospel singers gathered in a rehearsal room on the fourth floor of the Benedum Center.

	Concert information The Gospel Legends concert will be at 7 p.m. tomorrow. in the Byham Theater, Downtown. Tickets, $10, available at the door.

Neal Huguley holds court from the black Steinway grand piano in the center of the room.

The gospel performer, a former principal and music teacher, shouts at the assembly of altos, tenors and sopranos. "Push those lips out," he says as he coaches them to sound out the softly moaned "Ohhhhh!" -- the first syllable in the traditional spiritual "Over My Head."

An old-time favorite, the song lifted the souls of black American slaves so they could focus on the promises of heaven and escape the drudgery of servitude. Passed down through the years, its stirring message has encouraged most who've heard it.

Problem is, not everyone has.

For Joshua Knight of Clairton, "Over My Head" is a new thing, a song as fresh as the slight mustache sprouting on his 16-year-old face.

"This is my first time hearing it," he said.

	Neal Huguley, left, listens to Darrell Hutcherson sing during the three-day gospel music workshop this week at the Benedum Center. (Gabor Degre/Post-Gazette)

Knight has been in church and singing all his life, but most of those years have been spent on contemporary gospel, the kind that draws heavily from R&B with Christian singers like Fred Hammonds and Donnie McClurkin.

That young people remain in the dark on the gospel standards that helped their ancestors overcome adversity is troubling for Deryck Tines, a local pastor who's involved with several choirs and ministry groups.

This year he decided to do something about it. He worked with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to develop a three-day gospel workshop that would culminate in a gospel concert as part of the "Living Legends" program. The workshops began on Tuesday, will end today and the concert that will showcase the music being learned will be held tomorrow night at the Byham Theater.

About 100 "students" have attended the sessions, most of them drawn from local churches. Their teachers are local longtime gospel artists, a group that's gone largely unheralded.

Until now.

Part of the concert will include honoring musicians who have carried the torch of gospel in Pittsburgh, Tines said.

People such as Gloria Inez Briskey, Valetta O'Kelly, Dorothy Walden, Karen Rice and Huguley will sing. The workshop students will perform alongside them.

"It's a time to celebrate ourselves, our people and our music," said Tines. "Nothing's more valuable than singing."

One of the legends who participated in the Tuesday workshop was Mabel Black, a pastor from East Liberty. For more than 25 years, Black has instructed choirs and taught traditional gospel to inner-city audiences. She was touched by the experience.

"I never thought anybody thought enough of us to give honor," she said.

Traditional gospel music, about the hard knocks of slavery, is always timely, said Huguley. "It offers answers beyond ourselves because everybody grapples with turmoil and troubles."

Even young people. That is why Huguley is here trying to bridge the culture and knowledge gap about the songs of the slaves.

"I'm happy to be here," he said. "It's commendable to honor this type of musical genius and inspiration and it's important for young people to preserve and honor it."

For Joshua Knight, and his brother, Matt, 18, exploring the history of gospel music was cool, but what really had them hooked was the way the lessons were delivered.

"I love Mr. Huguley's direction. He's a true professional," said Joshua. "I like the way he moves with his hands and his whole body. He wants to inspire perfection."

At the piano, Tines tells participants, who are already clapping and swaying, how to emphasize Jesus' name in the songs. It's "gee-sus," he said. "Make it strong."

And, when they do. He smiles and tells them, "it's getting mighty churchy in here."