Fourth Decade, Fourth Gift: This is the Sounds of Blackness

Wherever you find goodness and light going on in the world, you can be sure that the Grammy Award-winning inspirational band, The Sounds of Blackness, is somewhere nearby, whether they are front and center stage or backing up the endless list of the best musical geniuses and talent in the business.

I had the privilege of interviewing the band's director and producer, Gary Dennis Hines, to find out about the group's past, presence and where they see themselves headed in the future.

The story of The Sounds of Blackness begins in 1969 at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. There the chorus formerly known as the "Macalester College Black Voices" under the direction of Russell Knighton was reclaimed as The Sounds of Blackness by band leader Gary Dennis Hines, to "reflect the repertoire and culture representing and bringing home the African diaspora."

Since 1971, The Sounds have used their unique and eclectic masterpieces as the voice of spiritual inspiration and social advocacy. The band is a mixture of rhythm and blues, a little rap, sprinkled with a dash of gospel and whole lot of down home soul. Mix in some overall exotic Mother Earth blend that comes only from the wellspring of all that lives in the world, which is Africa, and you've got an idea of the kind of music that comes out of Atomic K Records through The Sounds of Blackness.

Trying to describe the depth of their creative talent is one thing, but hearing it for yourself is a whole smorgasbord of musical experience that words cannot explain. The range of music that they bring to the world is testified and engraved in the dossier that they carry with them.

The Sounds have won three Grammies, have five Grammy nominations and an Emmy nomination, won a Soul Train award, two Stellar awards, the International Dance Award, and the International Time for Peace Award, and when all of that happened, they were just warming up for what the future would bring. Over the past three decades, they have also attained five NAACP Image Award nominations, and have three Platinum and Gold records for the soundtrack to "Mo Money," "Africa to America," and "Reconciliation."

They recorded the soundtrack for "Batman" with Prince, and the soundtracks for "House Party II," and "Demolition Man," as well as several others. They have recorded and performed with and for Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, LA Reid, Aretha Franklin, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Babyface and Eric Clapton; and the list only begins there. Their world travels have taken them to the White House to perform for President Bill Clinton, to the World Cup, and the World Music Awards, just to name a few. The group also received a most notable phone call from President Barack Obama, who let them know that he and First Lady, Michelle, are big fans.

The month of October 2010 is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this band, well known for their politics of community spirit, love, faith, oneness and unity, also works with "Journey to Healing" through the Institute for Domestic Violence in the African American Community (IDVAAC), St Paul.

With so many accomplishments already done and more underway, I asked Gary about the future outlook for The Sounds.

"Our future focus is three-fold," says Gary. "To continue to increase productions and provide greater visibility, to continue to increase our corporate collaborations (like working with General Mills for the "Feeding Dreams" project featuring "Great Gettin' Up Morning" from the CD "The Third Gift: Story Song and Spirit," IDVAAC, and United Healthcare on the "Do Good, Live Well" project), and to increase our presence on soundtracks for film and television."

You can start or stop right here and there would still never be enough space to talk about the history and accomplishments of this phenomenally talented and spiritually blessed band, or the first, second or third gifts that they have given the world over the last three decades.

There's only one thing left to say, January 2011 marked the beginning of their 40th year in the music and entertainment business. We cannot wait for the fourth decade and the "Fourth Gift" that Gary and The Sounds will bring us in the coming years.

Further Reading and Listening : The Sounds of Blackness on Myspace: Kings & Queens: Message Music from the Movement;TSOB Discography; International Jazz Singer Doris Hines, mother of Gary Hines, singing "God Bless the Child" on The Third Gift: Story Song & Spirit .

New Release this Fall 2011: "This is the Sounds of Blackness."