By J. MATTHEW COBB
Founder, Editor-In-Chief of PRAYZEHYMN Entertainment
Updated: August 7, 2006
YEARS AFTER THE INNOVATIVE EFFORTS of Professor Alex Bradford opening doors of recording opportunities for Newark's Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir during the 1960s, we are still making a joyful noise to the music of mass choirs. Gospel innovators and important key figures such as Reverend James Cleveland and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark began to organize the first ever recognized and successful mass choirs throughout the sixties and seventies. And today that very important facet of Gospel music, though it feels as if the idea lacks the spark and drive of the mass choir hey-day, continues to fascinate gospel music supporters. Probably because gospel music is the only music genre that inherits the awesome achievement of combining a group of singers stretching into 100+ members strong. Whether one wants to believe it or not, this task is very difficult to duplicate and is even harder to orchestrate musically. More time, more expenses, more concentration and more personalities to deal with. But Gospel music should be proud over the accomplishments of this organized institution of musical brilliance - even after all of these years. While the term "mass" may have many ambiguous definitions and usages of the word, the term "mass choir" has its origins historically in the liturgical sense, usually directed from the Roman Catholic church, and best describes the event of a celebration of the Eucharist (or communion). The word Mass also describes a form of sacred musical composition that takes place during the mass. The congregating of parishioners to the mass also helped the word "mass" take on a different character: one that is related to the scientific definition of a physical quantity describing the amount of matter in a specific object. Before mass choirs entered the scene, gospel choirs usually evolved from the choir rafts of established churches and from the organization of community choirs. Heavy achievers of this including the B.C & M. Choir, Institutional Radio Choir of Brooklyn and the Thompson Community Singers. Though they had the image of what a mass choir is defined as, the term did not come into place until many years later. 
OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES TO LOOK INTO:
We perish because of the lack of knowledge. Get schooled.
Malaco Records - Mega-soul music group housing some of the greatest choirs in music history including the Mississippi Mass Choir, Georgia Mass Choir, Florida Mass Choir and the Wilmington Chester Mass Choir.
Gospel Music Workshop of America - Home of the GMWA.
Chicago Mass Choir - Discography, photos, event calendar and much more.
Joe Pace - Homepage of songwriter/choir director Joe Pace and more info on the Colorado Mass Choir.
Rodnie Bryant & CCMC - Homepage of Rodnie Bryant & the Christian Community Mass Choir.
Mississippi Mass Choir - The offical website on America's beloved mass choir.
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