At North Caroline and East Eager in Baltimore stands a non-denominational, “enthusiastic, charismatic” Pentecostal church. Sunday evening, January 10th, this center of soul was host to the Mad Genius Drums of–err, Bishop QP (Quincy Phillips) and his merry band of faithful minstrel magicians. The gathering included:
- The Young Lions Connexion—Chris Funn (Bass), Allyn Johnson (Keys), and QP (Drums, Keys, Vocals);
- Samir Moulay (Guitar);
- Corey Baker (Bass);
- Quamon Fowler (Tenor Sax);
- Linea Boyd and Sabrina Wright (Vocals);
- Bryan Davis (Keys, Vocals);
- Cornell Shaw (?);
- Von Vargas (Emcee) with DJ SOP;
- Kathy Richardson (Spoken Word);
- Tim Green (Alto Sax);
- Lee Pearson II (Spoken Word);
- Tabitha Pearson (Vocals);
- Elevation—Adam Johnson (Bass), Mike Reed (Drums), and Kenny Shelton (Keys); and
- Micah Smith (Vocals).
I attended as a friend of the Bishop, a curious observer, and a lover of music. However, in the standard model of networking this event was an excellent example of a means for an (prospective) agent to expand his knowledge of a local scene and parlay one relationship into many.
East Baltimore Deliverance Church’s neighborhood has a history of struggle—drugs, poverty, teen pregnancy, and crime are all on the rise according to locals. Buildings and ex-apartments are ramshackle, the green is mostly gray-brown, and the church stands as a lamp’s light of hope a half block up from a mostly vacant strip mall.
The building creaks, thumps, and hums with the spirit of its people. Downstairs there’s talk by teens of getting ‘the group’ back together if their soprano comes back from NYC. She’s shy to sing in the presence of the others. An impromptu “Lean on Me” fires up and, amidst the laughter, the ice breaks. When it does, the shy girl sings and it’s silken from the start. They know to break upstairs with at least 30 minutes to spare to ensure premium seating.
I’d arrived in the morning by train, bleary-eyed and thanking the cold bite in the air for the wake-up call. It wasn’t long at Penn Station before QP arrived. He lives clean—no smoke or drink—but had been up late playing and so was a bit bleary-eyed too.
Through the years I’ve found myself guest in many homes. It’s something I’ve always been comfortable with and it’s always warming to be received kindly.
QP is not one for introductions and doesn’t have to. Grandma (the Apostle) and I connected immediately as I’m sure she’s accustomed to—the church’s matriarch and founder, the Apostle is clearly the Bishop’s charismatic lineage. She and the many others I met over the course of the day were extraordinarily welcoming.
The evening featured many performers. A few performances really hit home with me.
Elevation is a gospel collective cobbled together from years of world traveling with such gospel luminaries. Their first song captured their presentation and caught me by surprise, starting with an extended mood-groove (not the kind I’m personally fond of but it was well-executed) and shifted into a rock-gospel drive that, though very different in sound had a similar effect as listening to Jimmie Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn’s versions of Voodoo Child.
Kathy Richardson read a single (and thankfully) extended poem. Now I’ve long-wanted and often tried to write a poem about music, about its effect both universal and personal, about its character and power. There’s no longer any need. Kathy, if you are reading, I would very much like to acquire a copy—preferably, of you reading it.
Quincy Phillips took the occasion to introduce some spiritually-influenced solo work. It was fantastic and not what one expects from ‘spiritually-influenced’ music. With him on keys and vocals and Linea Boyd, Sabrina Wright, and Brian Davis singing backup, the audience was treated to something akin to Andre 3K’s piano-driven songs. “Prototype” comes to mind.
The Young Lions Connexion means the Young Lions stand-ins on horns made the excellent even better. Phillipine 4:13 and Shades of Joe (both compositions by members of the Connexion) captured the spiritual context of the night without a single word sung or spoken.
Lee Pearson is a big name in drums, having played with Roy Ayers, Roy Hargrove, and Lauren Hill, for example. He delivered a surprising and powerful sermon directed at his fellow musicians but speaking to the universal pitfalls of pride and losing one’s sight of the Good.
Micah Smith … Wow, what an amazing voice he has and performer he is. His songs were in a format most would easily recognize as gospel/soul, which provides an excellent showcase for his talents. I’ll be looking him up for some time to come.
The Bishop said it opening the show and I agree: Baltimore has some of this Nation’s and by extension the world’s finest musicians. I look forward to returning.