 On Saturday December 17, the CAB Concerts Series came to a glorious and festive end for the year 2005.
Perko’s Café, along with CAB Concerts hosted the “Sounds of the Season,” a mesmerizing holiday show that featured some of Pittsburg's finest gospel artists. The night began with Clayton J. Foor of Pleasant Hill directing the East Bay Festival Choir, (a choral group who was once a part of Los Medanos College’s Cantata and Oratorio class) who were on target with their rendition of holiday songs that included, Comfort & Joy, Jingle Bell Rock (with a jazzy feel to it) and the ever-popular Christmas song, “Santa Baby,” just to name a few. Exhibiting strong vocals and obvious breath control, this group added a personal spin on most of the songs performed that evening.
Next up was the sensational Christian singing group, “Rapture.” This band is a force to be reckoned with. Truly awesome! Talk about getting your heart pumping, you’d have to be comatose not to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard, and drums was all that was needed to have one moving in his or her seat, and the vocals, well, let’s just say that they were an added bonus. Their repertoire of music was vast and included Christmas songs with a rock, and pop edge such as, “Feliz Navidad,” and “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” which seemed to be favorites among the audience members. Band members Grant Crow, Bill Schoenecker, Jeff Rhodes, Don Yates, and Fred Larsen are truly blessed, which is evident by the beautiful harmonies they sang on the song, “Christmas Day” a lively, yet heartfelt tune reminiscent of the Beatles’s sound that was written and produced by the group.
The last group to perform for the evening was the “Just Praise Gospel Singers,” Featuring, Ronald Lawson, Marilyn “Mae” Pylant (Porters), Donna Kirven, and Gwendolyn “Gwen” Hart, author, and wife of Olympic Gold Medallist winner, Eddie Hart. This singing quartet was explosive in their deliverance of songs likened to the “old time religion gospel tunes.” They brought a lot of positive energy and talent to the stage. Magnificent and right on time, the group sang a variety of songs, however, their rendition of “White Christmas” was soulful and brilliantly executed. Some audience members yelled and clapped at the onset of the song while others stood to their feet calling the group members by name.
“Jesus is the reason for the season” said Lawson, who is not only a long time resident, but also a very well known and respected Christian among the young folk who affectionately call him, ‘uncle Ron.”
In addition to the quartet who performed that evening was one of Pittsburg's greatest Pianists and Musical Director, Reginald “Reggie” Mims, Bassist; the incomparable Louis Jones, and Drummer; the sensational Tony T of Oakland, Ca.
Accepting awards for the evening was CAB/PUSD Art Contest Winners Delia Rodriquez of Central Jr. High School, Maribelle Honey Abatayo-Trinidad, Kara Malig, and Brianna Neal all of Willow Cove Elementary. Each child received an autographed sports calendar signed by Eddie Hart, who is selling it to raise money for The new Olympian Sports Clinic. Ms. Cummings of Willow Cove Elementary School presented awards for the evening, and Hart thanked all the sponsors involved with the Adopt-A-Seat Program.
The first CAB Concert for 2006 is scheduled to begin on February 4th. |