It’s no exaggeration to say that gospel music has been Liz McComb’s
life. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, McComb comes from a musically-gifted
family (her nephew, singer Frank McComb, was profiled in these
pages four months ago), which is also extremely devout. Her mother
was their community’s first female pastor and Liz spent her childhood
Sundays in church, singing.
As she grew older and started being influenced by artists such
as Mahalia Jackson and Marion Williams, she realized that it was
possible to take the spiritual experience out of the church and
into the concert hall. While her professional career took off
in her teens when she was a featured singer with the Jean Austin
Singers, it was as an individual artist, performing solo at the
piano, where she found she could truly reach out and create the
same emotional feelings she remembered from her youth.
Her performances were marked not just by her glorious, soaring
voice but by a level of gut-wrenching commitment that left her
exhausted but uplifted after every performance. The stark drama
of her concerts started winning her wide praise. She found herself
opening for artists such as James Brown and Ray Charles, and increasingly
being booked on the Festival circuit in Europe.
Despite her ties to her community, she made the decision to set
up base in Paris in the mid ’80s, and has no regrets. “I love
it here. The city is so beautiful and the French have always gotten
out and supported me, which I appreciate so much.” She also feels
that “somehow I am freer over here. I’m a strong believer in spontaneity
and creation and pushing yourself to give that little bit extra.
Living outside of your own culture gives me that extra push.”
Like another Paris expatriate, the late John Littleton, McComb
has made it an artistic point of honor to fiercely defend the
authentic roots of gospel from the crass commercialism and racist
stereotypes that are too often paraded in front of European audiences.
It was the authentic community roots of her music which inspired
her to give free concerts for the homeless of Paris at the Olympia
music hall in 1998, for example. On October 26 & 28, she will
be at the Théâtre du Châtelet with an orchestra, choir and special
guest Edwin Hawkins, the creator of the song, “O Happy Days.”
This will be a lead in to a hectic world tour, that includes performances
at New York’s Lincoln Center early next year.
Théâtre du Châtelet, 1 pl du Châtelet, 1er, M° Châtelet, tel:
01 40 28 28 40, 8pm, 80-320F
