This past Saturday marked the second annual Gospel Expo held by the National Society of Black Engineers. In charge of organizing this year’s event was Kimara Freeman ’08, chair of NSBE’s Cultural Awareness Committee. She agreed to take on this task as there was the “potential of escalating to an even higher success on its [first] anniversary.” Judging by the turnout, the pure talent of the participants, and the audience reaction to the performances, I would definitely agree that this year’s show was a huge success.
To begin in proper fashion, emcees Joshua Reid ’08 and Anish Dhadwal ’06 led everyone through an opening prayer, in which they asked for the performances to run smoothly. Their prayers were answered from the beginning, as Rusty Pipe Johanna Caroll ’09 sang “Amazing Grace” a cappella-style from center stage of the McNeil Room. She received loud cheers from the entire audience, especially fellow Rusty Pipes members.
Up next were the choir members from Troy’s Bethel Baptist Church. Led by enthusiastic conductor Robert Gamble, the choir of about 20 members sang four songs, accompanied by piano on three. They got the audience to clap along while they swayed back and forth to the rhythm of their spiritual songs. The third song was a medley that transitioned between energetic pieces, allowing the choir members to show emotions through their voices and facial expressions. Although there were only a few men, they held their own and blended perfectly with the female majority, especially since they had the help of the highly animated Gamble. The audience loved their collection of songs and honored them with a standing ovation as they exited the stage.
The pace shifted a bit as Lamarr Shand ’08 recited two poems inspired by the Book of Psalms. The first of the two, entitled “Do You Have Time for Me,” really hit home for RPI students, as he explained the relevance of our busy schedules. Shand enlightened the crowd by letting everyone know that even when they are stressed out and busy, they are being looked after from above. Both of his poems were very touching, and he was able to change the tone and volume of his voice to emphasize perfect moments.
The singing resumed with Lamaar Walker ’06, Markes Rembert ’06, Desean Moore ’07, and Eugene Williams ’06 in an a cappella quartet. This foursome sounded amazing, and each voice could be singled out if you listened carefully, revealing that the singers could have easily performed individually. They were followed by Shane Driscoll ’09 on the piano. He played both Alicia Keys and John Legend songs, and I could have stayed there for hours listening to him play. It was easy to tell from the way he lifted his arms and struck the keys with conviction just how he felt about the songs.
After a brief intermission, singer Christopher Smith ’08 performed a song before the Colemans took the stage. Smith’s voice soothed me while I listened to him flawlessly transition between notes; he has quite an amazing range and tone to his voice. He sang a cappella and got the audience’s attention when he sang “Jesus” and paused, to which they bowed their heads and replied, “Amen.”
Whitney Coleman ’09 was next to perform with her father Greg on the guitar. He flew all the way from their hometown of Etiwanda, Calif., to perform with his daughter. Whitney had just come from her first basketball game of the weekend, in which she scored 21 points. The next night, she scored 22 points and was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Week. Showing off just how multitalented she is, Whitney not only sang four songs, but also played piano for the later two. Their first song, “For My Jesus,” was a combination of singing and rapping and was about establishing a relationship with God. She got the audience on their feet singing along and clapping. Their third song, entitled “Unconditional Love,” was a bit more serious as she explained. It had to do with understanding that God loves you even when you are too busy to pray and read your Bible as often as you should. They were given a standing ovation after both this song and their last song, and I must admit they were very good. Whitney’s voice was very soulful, and the emcees compared her to Lauren Hill.
It was a tough act to follow, but Eugene Williams was up to the challenge yet again. This time playing “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross” on the saxophone, Williams showed his devotion in this emotional piece through the way his notes quieted the audience. The song gave me goosebumps, and I could tell how much it meant to him to play this song. The final act was Shawn Jiles ’09, also of the Rusty Pipes, who was the perfect act to finish the event. He sang “I Need You Now” by Smokey Norful a cappella. His range was incredible, and the control he showed over his voice left the audience clapping throughout his entire performance and well after it ended.
The Gospel Expo was two hours of amazing music and celebration that even the non-believer would enjoy. Freeman expressed her appreciation toward those who helped make this year successful and claimed, “The outcome expressed what Black History Month is all about.” The show was, indeed, a success, and an amazing part of the Black History Month performances happening on campus throughout February.
