Soulful Voices shine at ALC Gospel Extravaganza

by Macie Capote

By Macie Capote
Clarion Herald

When All Saints Church’s Soulful Voices choir director Christopher Jackson was asked to represent Louisiana at the Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) Gospel Extravaganza in Washington, D.C., he was nothing short of “mind-blown.”

On Sept. 12, the Soulful Voices had the emotional and memorable experience of worshiping before thousands of attendees at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference.

“I would have never expected it,” Jackson said. “Doing something of this level is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. For some of my members, this was the high point of their lives.”

The opportunity came to fruition when U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., was asked to find a choir whose church was very active in its community, had historical significance and one he had a strong connection to.

On top of Carter’s family being parishioners for decades and him attending All Saints School, Jackson said Carter would always express how much he enjoyed listening to the Soulful Voices.

“He told us how much he loves the Soulful Voices and that every time he heard us it would uplift him,” Jackson said. “I think that was the catalyst for his decision.”

The Soulful Voices is just the second Catholic choir to participate in the event, the first being New Orleans’ St. Peter Claver just last year. Because of this, Jackson said he felt a big sense of responsibility to not only represent New Orleans well but also to represent the Catholic Church well.

“We showed them the culture, the Catholicism and how we worship in the Catholic city of New Orleans,” Jackson said, noting that the Gospel Extravaganza is mostly made up of Protestant denominations. “We represented the Catholic Church, and not only that, the Black culture in the Catholic Church.”

Preparing for this event took months of practice, with the choir rehearsing three times a week starting in July to perfect its performance. Jackson, who has been the choir’s director since its inception in 2011, also had to carefully select choir members, narrowing down from 26 singers, ages 11 to 84.

However, through all the singers’ practice and planning, Jackson’s main focus for his choir was to embody the message of Christ through their song.

“I preach to my choir constantly that we are also ministers of the Word,” he said. “We aren’t meant to take away from the main focus, which is the Eucharist, but to amplify and bring spirituality and a deeper understanding for what they will experience.”

One of the highlights of the event was the Mass choir performance, where the Soulful Voices collaborated with other choirs from the South to perform the iconic anthem, “We Shall Overcome,” by Bishop Paul S. Morton. Jackson noted how powerful it was to experience different worship styles coming together in unity.

“It was such an interesting experience sharing our faith with other choirs and denominations, and seeing how everyone worshiped differently was really amazing,” he said.

Jackson said when the parishioners of All Saints Church heard the news, they beamed with pride, celebrating the accomplishment of their choir. Jackson is confident this milestone is just the beginning for All Saints Church.

“It’s only up from here, and there’s so much more in store for All Saints Parish,” he said.

The Soulful Voices’ participation in such a prominent event is yet another testament to the choir’s growing reputation, having previously performed at the Knights of Peter Claver conference, the Archdiocese of New Orleans Mass Gospel Choir, and festivals such as Jazz Fest and Gospel Fest.

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