After a summer hiatus, Free Gospel Sundays, one of the Arsht Center’s most popular events, returns for the fall on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. with Grammy-nominated, urban gospel superstar J. Moss.
Moss couldn’t help but to make his mark on the gospel scene. After all, he is the nephew of the legendary Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, cousin of the Clark Sisters and the son of Bill Moss, Sr., founder of Bill Moss & the Celestials.
Moss, 40, an accomplished singer, composer, arranger and producer, cut his chops in his hometown of Detroit, eventually opening for another Detroit legend — CeCe Winans. But it was his partnership with contemporary gospel’s PAJAM that took Moss’s career to unprecedented heights. He is known for combining traditional spiritual messages with modern arrangements and funky hip-hop beats. And as a writer he has scored with both gospel and secular performers.
Opening the show will be Miami-born, 18-year-old Bianca Sirgany-Castro, national winner of the Sparkle Singing Challenge who says, “I used to go to the Arsht with my school for field trips — now I will actually be on the stage. This is going to be amazing.”
In addition, another local gospel group, S.I.G.N. (Singing in God’s Name) will be featured. The group of six young men is the recent winner of the Arsht Center’s inaugural New Gospel Talent Search — a local singing contest whose goal is to discover Miami’s next top gospel artists. S.I.G.N. was founded in 2001 by locals Jespert Powell, originally from Jamaica and Evron Stewart. The group uses Jamaican-inspired rhythms fused with intricate a cappella arrangements from genres that include gospel, R&B and reggae.
Free Gospel Sunday will again be hosted by local TV anchor Calvin Hughes. Admission is free but you’ll need tickets to attend. Go to www.arshtcenter.org to get yours.
By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com
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