The London Community Gospel Choir is Britain's first renowned contemporary "performance touring, inspirational gospel choir band", fusing gospel with multi-genres of music, including pop, soul, jazz, R&B, and classical. It was founded in 1982 and has performed with people including Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Gorillaz, and Kylie Minogue.
Initially, the idea was for a single concert, and this was staged by a 120-strong choir before an audience of more than a thousand people. The one-off event gave rise to a permanent choir, performing internationally for over 25 years.
The success of the first event led to enquiries for the choir to appear on television and radio and at various corporate functions across the United Kingdom and Europe. The choir debuted on television with a performance on Channel Four's Black on Black. In December 2003, The Guardian described the choir as "controversial, professional, energetic, inspiring and spirit-filled!"
The choir is known for its funk-flavoured gospel, swing-beat, rhythm and blues, traditional, and soulful arrangements, with lively choreography and vocal gymnastics.
The Edge of LCGC, a branch of the choir, released a limited-edition album, Keep Moving, as part of their yearly five-night residency at London's Jazz Café. The full version was released in Spring 2008.
In 2009, the choir recorded a charity single named "I Got Soul" for War Child. In October 2009, this single reached #10 in the UK Singles Chart, giving the London Community Gospel Choir its first top ten hit.
Live at Abbey Road: 21st Anniversary Concert (2003)
Keep Moving (Limited Edition) (2007)
Glorious (2010)
The Best of LCGC: Celebrating 30 Years (2012)
Peace This Christmas (2014)
Bibliography
Bazil Meade, with Jan Greenough, A Boy, a Journey, a Dream: The Story of Bazil Meade and the London Community Gospel Choir. London: Monarch Books, 2011.