Gospel and jazz in memory of the departed

Barcelona, July 11, 2013.

Àltima Serveis Funeraris organized a new edition of the Summer Concert, a musical performance in memory of the deceased, which took place on Wednesday, July 10, at 8 p.m. in the Oratori Tibidabo of the Tanatori Ronda de Dalt in Barcelona, with an attendance of about 300 people. This year's concert featured the vocal group Zetzània, known for its extensive and acclaimed experience in performing gospel and black spirituals. On this occasion, Zetzània, directed by musician and composer Erwyn Seerutton, performed classics of the genre such as "I Say a Little Prayer," "Oh When the Saints," "Oh Happy Day," and "Everytime I Feel the Spirit."

Since its founding in 1993, the vocal group Zetzània has specialized in black spirituals, ranging from gospel to African chants, blues, and even rock. Over its 20-year history, Zetzània has performed throughout Catalonia at events such as the Terrassa Jazz Festival, the Sant Boi Jazz Showcase, Rivermúsica, and the Barcelona Diversity Festival, among others. It is currently composed of about twenty singers.

Gospel and Spiritual Liberation

Gospel music originated with the arrival of the first African slaves in the United States in the 18th century. To express their repression and suffering, these slaves created dances and songs with strong emotional content, reflecting the powerful sense of rhythm and harmony from Africa, as well as deep religiosity. The main theme of these songs was the hope for freedom, which they believed could only be achieved through death. This gave rise to the term "black spirituals," which became a philosophy of life and a form of earthly escape towards spirituality. Gospel music gained popularity around the 1930s with singer and songwriter Rosetta Tharpe.