Finding inspiration in Harlem’s gospel music

Every Sunday, tourists­—sometimes busloads of them—flock to Harlem’s churches. They are coming less to commune with God than to get a chance to hear the area’s famous gospel choirs sing their hearts out—gospel music is at its core religious music, sung with sacred intentions. But gospel is also a distinctly American art form that came to influence almost all genres, from R&B to rock ’n’ roll. Many of the musical legends of the last century, including Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, and even James Brown, have roots in gospel music. Whether students want to praise the Lord or just clap along to some of the country’s greatest voices, the city is full of righteous options. Amen to that.

The Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir
One of the most famous churches in Harlem, the Abyssinian Baptist Church, was founded over 200 years ago. Adam Clayton Powell served as pastor and was succeeded by his son, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the first African-American elected to Congress from New York. The church has a long musical history—Nat King Cole was married there to his wife, Maria. The church’s choir sings rousing renditions of gospel standards like “Steal Away” and “The Lily of the Valley.” Though Abyssinian’s Sunday morning services are free and open to the public, their Web site makes clear that “Sunday worship services are NOT musical concerts, they are sacred.” Tourists are welcome at the 11 a.m. worship services, but must enter through a separate “Tourist Entry Point” on West 138th Street and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard. Visitors flood the church with good reason, but the sheer volume of tourists could be a drawback—and the prospect of a separate tourist door is more than a little off-putting.
Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 Odell Clark Pl. (between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard and Lenox Avenue).

The Harlem Gospel Choir
Attending a worship service for the music alone is a bit awkward. Services can be long, and visitors may feel out of place sitting in the middle of a congregation in prayer. The self-proclaimed “most famous gospel choir in America,” the Harlem Gospel Choir, performs every Sunday at B.B. King’s Gospel Brunch in Times Square. Though performances cost money, unlike going to an actual service at a church, $40 covers the performance as well as an all-you-can-eat soul food brunch. The choir consists of members from churches all over the tri-state area, and their message is more about love and inspiration than specific religious tenets. Having toured the world and performed with everyone from Cindy Lauper to Diana Ross to the virtual band Gorillaz, the Harlem Gospel Choir has some serious music industry cred.
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St. (between Seventh and Eighth avenues).

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
The choir at Brooklyn Tabernacle is impressive, and has 23 albums, six Grammys, and performances at Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden to prove it. Although it began with just nine people, the choir has grown to 250 voices. The choir’s director (and the pastor’s wife), Carol Cymbala, claims that she can neither formally read nor write music, but she has composed hundreds of original songs for the choir, a skill she attributes to a gift from God. The choir sings at most 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. services on Sundays, all of which are open to the public. Brooklyn Tabernacle draws fewer tourists than many Harlem churches and does not hold separate services for visitors, making them easier, and a lot less uncomfortable, to attend.
The Brooklyn Tabernacle, 17 Smith St. (between Livingston and Fulton streets, Brooklyn).