Clash of the Choirs
By Keith Boykin, in pop culture
Tuesday, December 18 2007, 9:25AM
It would have been easy to write about politics today. But with so much going on in the presidential campaign, I figure everybody else will be talking about that already. So today I decided to take a little pop culture diversion. Anybody who has ever read this website in January knows how much I love American Idol. Although the last two winners have disappointed me, the show itself continues to entertain every year.
So last night when I turned on the television and decided not to go to the gym, I was looking for something to keep my interest. Clash of the Choirs almost did that. It's a 4-day reality show in which celebrities recruit singers from their hometowns to compete in a choir sing-off. Kelly Rowland, Nick Lachey, Michael Bolton, Blake Shelton and Patti Labelle select and lead the choirs. To be honest, I wasn't blown away by the show or the choirs. That is, until Patti Labelle took the stage.
Clearly, the producers saved the best for last. Nick Lachey surprised me by picking a soulful group of singers from his hometown of Cincinnati. Kelly Rowland looked like she was going for an all-black choir until they showed up on stage in a rainbow of colors. Michael Bolton was what you might expect from Michael Bolton. And Blake Shelton, well, I don't know that much about him. In the end, it was all about Patti.
Clash of the Choirs just debuted last night and already its been panned by some critics as "cheesy" and "bland." I can't say I disagree with that description, but it's still worth watching, especially if you have Tivo to fast forward past the parts you want to skip.
The 2-hour premiere episode could easily have been cut to an hour, but since I watched it on DVR, I was able to fast forward past all the commercials, so it didn't feel as long when I saw it. It's your basic family-friendly holiday reality series. (I called my mom three times while watching the show.) But there's something about the experience of the choir that is really moving.
One of the reasons I love the black church experience is because of the traditional black church choir. Let's be honest, it's not the 90-minute sermon or the second offering for the building fund that draws us to church. It's the people and the music. Like I said, there's something about the choir experience that is very moving.
Of the five choirs last night, several of them were decent, especially since they only had a few weeks to pull it all together. But one choir, Patti Labelle's choir she recruited from Philadelphia, was outstanding. Patti employed the advice of her musical director John Stanley (shown in this Youtube clip) to help her pick the choir, and she used her ear to select the best singers she could find.
In the end, she succeeded. Patti's choir sang an old standard, He's Got The Whole World In His Hands, and jazzed it up so much that you would never recognize it except for the beginning and end. But I tell you one thing, it was the best version of the song I'd ever heard.
If it wasn't for Patti and Kelly Rowland, I probably wouldn't have watched the show at all. But after watching it, it was all about Patti Labelle. If her choir sings like this for the next three days, they'll be taking home a big quarter-million dollar check to charity.
Comments conceal
LaRufus
December 18 2007, 10:32AM
I thought it was a funny show, since, I wasn't really impressed with any of the choirs, or the b-level stars, until Miss Patti came out, she shows what it is that makes black women the most special women on earth and the only real divas! All diva, and, some out fits that would make me want to do drag!
Liquid Fonts
December 18 2007, 11:00AM
Ok I'm convinced that American Idol has ruined American Television and corrupted its children.
Keith I'd wrather watch that CNN link you posted in the Left Field but the video won't load.
:(
Mark Norris
December 18 2007, 11:51AM
If the majority of American voters know what a choir is and should sound like, then Ms. Patti is a cinch to win. She was "fatabulous".
jeff hobbs
December 18 2007, 12:12PM
yeah Keith. I thought it was cheesy too til Patti showed up. I loved her big black hat with the huge buttons on it. I'm gonna have Thelma Houston give her a call and see if i can borrow it!LOL Pattis choir was contemporary, upbeat, fun and very well produced. They sure did get their licks in!LOL
Maurice
December 18 2007, 12:15PM
I was a little disapointed with the OKLAHOMA offering. As a native of the state, I KNOW we could have done much better.
nillachino
December 18 2007, 12:19PM
I totally disagree about Patti's "alleged" amatuer choir being the best. She came onstage and had people do exactly what was expected from something she "directed": scream and more screaming. There were some excellent moments (the bell tone response sequence being the highlight); but overall, any collegiate choir with a "month" of rehearsals could have done the same. I wanted them to have more unified movement, and actually sing a few phrases of the song. Ms. P did nothing to step out of the box of expectations. Granted they did sound good, but I was disappointed.
As a performance opportunity, I think Nick's group was the best of the bunch. Excellent showmanship and great sound.
Ooo and I wanted the dude in Blake's group to dye his eyebrows, man. Plus, that was jacked when Blake made the one guy coordinate his choir and then didn't pick him to sing. That was Redic.
What got me was the touching human interest "plants" that made you want to vote for a particular group. Bleah.
J
December 18 2007, 1:21PM
Love Miss Patti and Miss Kelly, but there's no way I'll be watching. NO. WAY.
Javontae LW
December 18 2007, 4:56PM
I thought the show was okay. Sad to say I turned before Ms. Patti's choir performed....Had to catch my I Love NY finale. (disappointed)
Do you think this show is a result of the writers strike. I mean have they ever done a week long competition before?
bubba
December 18 2007, 4:59PM
Patti's arrangements definitely upped the ante, but she made it easy for herself by selecting material with a religious significance. No audience turns that down, for fear of blasphemy by apathy.
ToddyEnglish![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.keithboykin.com/nav-commenters.gif)
December 18 2007, 6:41PM
Oh dear. Writers and television producers, PLEASE, for the love of all sanity come to somekind of agreement. Don't make the public suffer with anymore of this reality "talent" show mess! My god, if I hear one more person warble through a song, in hopes of making their dreams come true, I'm going to regurgitate everything I've eaten for the past three and a half years.
I'm just going to stop watching television until: The Office, Heroes, and Dirty Sexy Money get new episodes.
M
December 18 2007, 7:51PM
Good on the writers for striking. All the production money and technology in the world can't replace good writers.
Mark Norris
December 18 2007, 11:47PM
I have been looking for information on John Stanley for years now, since I first saw him sing with Patti on her PBS concert special. If anyone knows more about him or where I can get more info.....let a brotha know.
IbouDiop
December 19 2007, 3:55AM
@Mark Norris: Don't know much about J. Stanley, think he's from VA. Maybe you can catch him at D.C. Gay Pride next year. He was @ Club Love for Patti's show and "came out" for the Sunday picnic in the park. . .He looks as precious as piece of peach cobbla!
saint james
December 19 2007, 3:38PM
Patti labelle's choir was not ALL THAT! I have been hearing similar arrangements siince the early 70's. That division of the sections thing was invented by Mattie Moss Clark of the Church of God in Christ. They were okay. I mean look who they had to compete against. I liked the country guys' choir; the dude with the guitar. They were unique. Patti was not directing that choir. She didn't have a clue as to what she was doing. I am a long term choir director and Patti was NOT directing that choir. I'd bet my robe that her musical director put all of that together. Of the two women leading only the sprano was on point. She's the woman on the right in the photo. What's really riddiculous is that the competitors are judging or rating each other?? Snooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooze.
Regan DuCasse
December 19 2007, 6:56PM
I am a casualty of the writer's strike. Don't get me STARTED!
These are not 'reality' shows. These are amateur contests! It's VERY hard for me to watch programming that strains to fill the hours. This is NOT what the public wants, this is what the public is FORCED to watch!
In the last twenty years, even the quality of commercials has gone down, and badly.
Writers are the life's blood of GOOD, solid, television programming.
I watched this program only to kill time until I though public tv was airing Great Performances with a musical starring Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone. I have a theater background myself and I can't take these amateur contests, for whatever set up it is.
You prime time hours are being taken over by game shows and mother/daughter beauty contests UGH!
For the love of humanity, PLEASE END THIS STRIKE!!!!
steve
December 19 2007, 9:16PM
sure, patti can sing like no other and her choir is def the best..but this woman is so damn FAKE! the things she says, it all feels scripted to the nines...UUUUUUUGH!!!
IbouDiop
December 20 2007, 2:40AM
I'm bored so. .
@James: You didn't think Patti (who sang in a church choir during her youth) "directed" the choir and it was just ok, but you liked Blake (the country guy) who admitted he had no experience directing choirs, had never been in a choir, and was playing his guitar while the choir sang? Interesting contradictions.
@R DuCasse: Seems like the public has FORCED to watch amateur contests for the last decade plus-a slew of "Who wants to be America's next_________?" Network programming beyond manufactured "reality shows" show the lowest common denominator of sensationalism, crime, and sex. I think the public is feed up. They've either tuned out (like me) or turned on cable or PBS. And to prove that point, ask yourself why there has been NO SIGNFICANT VIEWER OUTCRY about the writer's strike? Answer: network TV is crap and no one cares.
Mark Norris
December 20 2007, 3:55AM
For someone who claims to be a choir director you sure don't know jack. As "IbouDiop" pointed out about your contradictions. It is so funny how some queens get so technical about entertainment, especially singing. Everyone has the "know how" on what is right and what is wrong. This show isn't like the very competitive American Idol. It's a show where charities will benefit. Not one of the superstars involved claimed to be choir directors. They are there for their particular hometown and for that I think they deserve kudos. But, of course just like assholes, opinions will generate from the know-it-alls who really don't know a damn thing.
saint james
December 20 2007, 4:00AM
IbouDiop,
No it isn't a contadiction at all, that country guy is a skilled and trained musician who arranged the vocals and accompanied his choir. His chorale was unique as I said. Patti waved her hands,cried, shook her shoulders and pretended to "direct" the choir. Her choir's arrangement was very standard and nothing new vocally. Just because Patti sang in a gospel choir for a little while does not make her a choral director. If you noticed, duringthe first part of her song she stared at her shoes. She was following the choir, not leading them.
IbouDiop
December 20 2007, 11:20AM
@St James: In my boredom, forgive me for not wishing you happy holidays. This is time of the year to celebrate family, charity, and hope. Let us not be distracted by drivel. Anyhoo, I supposed you didn't see the first episode when an actual choir director auditions for Blake's choir. Before deciding he's not the right person for the choir, Blake asks the guy how many sopranos, altos, and tenors he should have and takes notes. Go figure. Then, after Blake selected the choir and gives them music for "Take Me Home," the members immediately go off key and get out of rhythm. He looked at the music and told them he didn't KNOW HOW TO READ MUSIC and they should just feel the rhythm and sing from their hearts. So much for his skill, training, and ability to arrange. I like Blake though, he's sexy for a white country boy. Always wanted to do a "cowboy"! Be blessed.
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