Rhythm for a Playful Day

FIRST, THE visual scene opened one's eyes, then the voices opened one's ears, which gave easy access to one's soul. Dressed in an array of African prints the Kuumba singers rocked and swayed, clapped and sang until Memorial Church seemed to move with their rhythm. With shining faces and full voices the choir dramatically presented its theme, "The Light of Unity." The Memorial Church altar, usually an inconspicuous backdrop, complemented the singers' radiant stage presence; it almost seemed to draw out their contagious rhythm and spirit.

The swift, unpredictable movement of the show testified to the group's "Kuumba," or creativity, as the word translates from Swahili, while the audience involvement further reflected the creative energy of the choir singers. The program opened with a gospel tune, "Jesus, the Light of the World" and a Scripture reading, and the spiritual overtones continued through the performance, emphasizing Christmas as a celebration that brings people together.

But Brenda Ray diverted all attention from religious themes with "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight." Ray, left alone on stage, sensuously conveyed this request to her listeners. Then, a voice arose mysteriously, without a visible source, singing, "I Told Jesus." Kathleen Gatson, the choir's pianist, sang from her piano behind the massive pillars, yet her voice permeated every corner of the church.

The solos varied in quality, with several striking performances among them. In his shining green and white shirt, Michael Russell took hold of one's soul with his dramatic version of "I Found God." The choir smoothly changed the tempo with "Keys to the Kingdom," and Evelyn Woodward picked up the fast, rocking beat in her solo. A better sound system, however, would have helped even the best of the soloists.

Jean Smith ingeniously returned the program to the theme of Christmas with a commentary on "what wise guys call kids' stuff." She suggested that it might be better to search for the light of God in the heavens, as "three wise guys" once did, than to trust narrowly in science, which gives people a reason to "fear the bursting of bombs." A unique arrangement of "We Three Kings," by Eric McKissach, a choir member from MIT, set the altos in counterpoint to the sopranos and the basses in contrast to the tenors. Five men stepped out of the group into a semi-circle and surprised the audience with an excellent acapella version of "Jingle Bells."

The choir's members attribute their versatility to director Robert Winfred, who encourages experimentation with modes other than gospel and spiritual traditions. However, the rendition by wind instrumentalists of "Let There Be Peace on Earth" should have been omitted. Juxtaposed against the unflagging energy of the singing, the piece lacked both vitality and harmony.

The variety of soloists and rotation of conductors suggested the equalitarian organization of the Kuumba Singers. Joining the choir doesn't require an audition, just a good deal of dedication. The group, which originated in 1970, consists mostly of Harvard students, but draws a few members from MIT, BU, Lesley and the non-student community. Unfortunately, it does not often appear on campus anymore, because of the high prices of Harvard performing space. The Kuumba singers will perform again on January 15 at the Martin Luther King service in Memorial Church.

The audience at this concert was predominantly black, but the choir's call for unity transcended color differences, and the audience responded as a unified whole. Larry Fields, president of the Kuumba singers, while making a clever solicitation for financial aid, also stated the group's intention "to let students relate to something other than books!"--an attractive invitation in an era of overbooking. "One More Day" expressed the joy that is possible in each day and ignited a desire, which the entire performance fueled, for the ability to enjoy a day just for its playfulness.