| choir bio
(221 words)
"Come on Victoria!" urges director Checo Tohomaso at a recent Victoria Soul Gospel Choir practice. "Listen to your hearts,"
he exhorts while teaching how to clap and move to those spirited
African harmonies that are the basis of roots American music and the
genres that evolved from it. Audiences are welcome to sing along with this choir's
engaging repertoire that draws from blues, jazz, gospel, old time, rhythm
and blues and rock and roll.
Everyone loves to sing with Checo, whose amazing range allows him to demonstrate
individual choral parts during practices at the
Selkirk Montessori School (6-8pm every other Tuesday). His own roots are in traditional gospel. He brought that sensibility to Motown, where he performed
with Marvin Gaye and The Commodores. Presently, he is director of both the Vancouver Outreach Community Soul Gospel Choir and the Victoria
Soul Gospel Choir. Checo first came to Victoria at the invitation of
Me-Kon Hayes and the Black History Awareness Society. Since that first season with only a dozen
members, the choir has grown to over one hundred happy singers. The Garden City is now a singing city and,
whether or not they are of the Christian faith, all members are grateful to
Me-Kon and Checo for the opportunity to enjoy this inspirational art form.
Find out more: www.victoriasoulgospel.ca
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