Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir

Last updated
Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
Also known asMJGC
Origin Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres Gospel music
Years active1982 (1982)–present
Labels www.justin-time.com

The Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir is a choir from Montreal, Quebec, Canada that sings primarily traditional and contemporary Gospel music. [1] The choir's repertoire also includes a mix of music ranging from Gregorian chant to Bach chorales, traditional Zulu music and a modern Jazz: the oratorio.

Contents

History

The choir was founded and directed by Trevor W. Payne in 1982 and gave its first performance at the St. James United Church in Montreal. [2] The choir was founded to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Montreal's oldest black community church, Union United Church up the street from the Atwater Market on the corner of Delisle and Atwater, which borders the St. Henri and Little Burgundy neighborhoods. The two other founding members were the Reverend Frank Gabourel, minister of the Union United Church, and Daisy Peterson Sweeney, [3] [4] the sister of Oscar Peterson, who taught both her brother Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones to play the piano. The first members primarily came from The Montreal Black Community Youth Choir, which existed between 1974-1981 and was also directed by Payne. [5] [6]

In 1983 the choir signed with Justin Time Records, [7] and in 1986 released a recording in with guest singer Salome Bey. [8] In 1993 the MJGC performed on the Klaus König oratorio Song of Songs. In 1995 their album Jubilation V: Joy to the World won a Juno. They won the outstanding recording artist in 1987 by The Association of Gospel Music Ministries, and in 1989 they were named the best choral ensemble, and also won for best gospel album. In the years 1993 to 1995 they were named vocal group of the year by the Canadian magazine Jazz Report. The choir released a 25-year retrospective album in 2007, Jubilation XI - Looking Back, Vol. 2.

The Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir has performed at gospel celebrations in Montreal and across Canada, the United States, and Europe. [9]

They have performed with such entertainers as Celine Dion, Ray Charles, New Kids on the Block, Oliver Jones, Martine St-Clair, and Salome Bey. They have performed at many festivals, including the Montreal International Jazz Festival, [10] the Stratford Festival of Canada, and Toronto's Harbourfront and International choral festival. They have recorded a total of eleven CDs, some of which have won Juno Awards. [11]

In 2017 Payne retired as director of the choir. [12]

Discography

Montreal Black Community Youth Choir


Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir

Awards

Association of Gospel Music Ministries' Golden Note Award
Juno Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob McConnell</span> Canadian jazz trombonist, composer, and arranger

Robert Murray Gordon McConnell, was a Canadian jazz trombonist, composer, and arranger. McConnell is best known for establishing and leading the big band The Boss Brass, which he directed from 1967 to 1999.

MusicFest Canada, originally established as the Canadian Stage Band Festival (CSBF) in Toronto, is a national educational music festival in Canada. It was founded in 1972 by Robert Richmond, Gary Wadsworth and Paul Miner. The CSBF added vocal and concert band components in 1981 and 1985, respectively. The name was changed to MusicFest Canada, in 1987, embracing the instrumental jazz, concert band and choral/vocal jazz divisions. In 2012, in partnership with the National Arts Centre, they added a 4th orchestra/strings division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranee Lee</span> Canadian jazz musician

Ranee Lee, CM is an American jazz singer and musician who resides in Montreal, Quebec. She is also an actor, author, educator and television host. Referred as “Montreal's Queen of Jazz,” Lee is a Juno Award winner, two-time Top Canadian Female Jazz Vocalist by Jazz Report Magazine and was honored with the International Association of Jazz Educators Awards for her outstanding contribution to jazz music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Sweeney</span> Canadian actress and soul singer

Michelle Sweeney is a Canadian actress and soul singer. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she moved to Montreal, Quebec in the 1980s to perform with the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, and has remained based in Montreal since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renee Rosnes</span> Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger

Irene Louise Rosnes, known professionally as Renee Rosnes, is a Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Jones (pianist)</span> Canadian jazz pianist, organist, composer and arranger

Oliver Theophilus Jones, is a Canadian jazz pianist, organist, composer and arranger.

Trevor Winston Payne, is a Canadian musician and member of the Order of Canada (1996). He is the founder of the Montreal Black Community Youth Choir, as well as the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine Klaasen</span>

Lorraine Klaasen is a London, Ontario-based world music singer. Her mother was South African jazz singer Thandi Klaasen. She has performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and her international itinerary has included the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. She and her mother are also reputed as two of Nelson Mandela's favorite musicians.

The Juno Awards of 1991, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 3 March 1991 in Vancouver, British Columbia at a ceremony in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Paul Shaffer was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television.

The Juno Awards of 1995, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 26 March 1995 in Hamilton, Ontario at a ceremony in the Copps Coliseum. Mary Walsh, Rick Mercer and other regulars of the television series This Hour Has 22 Minutes were the hosts for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television. Almost 10,000 people were in attendance, and over 6,500 public tickets were sold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salome Bey</span> American-born Canadian singer-songwriter (1933–2020)

Salome Bey was an American-born Canadian singer-songwriter, composer, and actress who lived in Toronto, Ontario, since 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daisy Sweeney</span> Canadian music teacher

Daisy Elitha Peterson Sweeney was a Canadian classical music and piano teacher, known for having taught many of the most notable figures in Canadian jazz music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enja Records</span> German jazz record company and label

Enja Records is a German jazz record company and label based in Munich which was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty Silver</span> Musical artist

Liberty Silver is a Canadian singer, based in Toronto, Ontario. Her music draws inspiration from diverse genres, ranging from R&B, Jazz, Pop, Gospel, Reggae to Rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Time Records</span>

Justin Time Records is a Canadian record company and independent record label founded in Montreal by Jim West. It was established in 1983 and specialises in jazz and blues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandi Disterheft</span> Canadian bassist and composer

Brandi Disterheft is a Canadian jazz bassist and composer.

The Theatre of Early Music is a choir and Baroque instrumental ensemble based in Montreal, and later in Toronto. It is conducted by Daniel Taylor. The group performs and records early sacred music. One of the group's better known pieces is Stabat Mater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Richardson</span> Canadian actor and singer

Kim Richardson is a Canadian singer and actress, who won two Juno Awards as a solo recording artist in the 1980s.

Tchukon was a Canadian funk and R&B band, active from 1978 to 1990. Best known for winning CBC Television's 1985 music competition Rock Wars and being named Best Vocal Group in the 1986 edition of Star Search, the band ultimately released just one Juno Award-nominated album before dissolving.

Coral Egan is a Canadian jazz and pop singer. She is most noted as a two-time Juno Award nominee, receiving nominations for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2003 for her album The Path of Least Resistance, and Adult Contemporary Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2014 for The Year He Drove Me Crazy. Her voice is recognized as the vocals for the English opening & closing theme songs for the 1999 animated cartoon Cybersix

References

  1. Joachim-Ernst Berendt; Günther Huesmann (1 August 2009). The Jazz Book: From Ragtime to the 21st Century. Chicago Review Press, Incorporated. p. 1. ISBN   978-1-61374-604-2.
  2. Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir. Coda. Vol. 259–270. J. Norris. 1995. p. 42.
  3. The Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir at The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
  4. "Street to be named for Daisy Peterson Sweeney: Coderre". Montreal Gazette, August 16, 2017
  5. Bill Brownstein. "Brownstein: Trevor Payne to leave Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir limelight". Montreal Gazette, December 1, 2017
  6. "International Women's Day: Women who helped shape Montreal". CBC News. Mar 08, 2016
  7. "Secret City Records’ Justin West on staying indie while building globally". Industry Observer, by Lars Brandle on Jul 11, 2018
  8. Joel Flegler (1987). Fanfare. Vol. 11. J. Flegler. p. 53.
  9. African Canadian Online: Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
  10. "Montreal Jazz Festival Stacks the Deck With Bob Dylan, King Crimson, Buddy Guy and a Cast of Thousands". Variety, July 3, 2017. By Mitch Myers
  11. Nelson Wyatt. "Montreal choir shares jubilation, gospel". Chronicle Herald, December 8, 2012
  12. Bernard Perusse. "Jazz fest: Farewell to Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir's first golden era". Montreal Gazette, July 3, 2017