Several local acts will appear at the 29th annual Gospel Extravaganza at North Central College.
The concert is at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 in Wentz Concert Hall. It was organized by North Central College chaplain Eric Doolittle.
“It’s been great to see this continue,” he said. “We’re looking forward to next year too to be able to celebrate our 30th. But this year is going to be good.”
This is his third year organizing the Extravaganza, with help from North Central alumna Danara Barlow of Joliet. Even though Barlow, a soloist for the past several years at the Extravaganza, won’t be able to attend this year’s event, she was able to help organize it, Doolittle said.
That meant drawing from the local talent pool at hand and booking performers from the suburban gospel scene, he said.
“In the past, we’ve brought out big performers and big names, and this year we really want to focus on local talent,” he said.
“(Barlow) helped find us folks she knew that were established in the area … and a couple newer folks who she thought would be really interesting to lift up. Her family is really well known in gospel music,” Doolittle said. “And then we’ve got some local folks on campus who are going to be with us, so we’re really excited about that.”
Student acts – both solos and ensembles – will be featured between the main acts, he said.
The concert will be in Wentz Concert Hall instead of Pfeiffer this year, he said.
“We’re really excited about that,” he said. “It’s such a fun venue and feels a lot more intimate. It will be a lot more fun.”
Contemporary gospel group Divine Purpose from Triumph Community Church in Bolingbrook, with keyboard player Gerald Roberts, will be the headlining act, he said.
“They’re a smaller praise ensemble; an all-female group,” Barlow said. “I chose them because I went to one of their concerts and…sometimes you go to a gospel event and it’s all about the show, but their concert was full of worship and it was a really good experience.”
Other acts include Cici Jones of Joliet and Shannon Harris of Park Forest.
“Cici’s amazing,” Barlow said. “She’s another person I’ve seen live and … I thought, ‘Oh my God, we need to get Cici out so she can come and bless the people.”
Harris, an actress, singer and mother of three, has an album available on iTunes, Barlow said.
“She’s a really moving, dynamic performer,” she said. “None of these artists are famous yet, but this is a good platform for them to be able to perform and get their music out while still being able to genuinely worship.”
They were here two years ago and did a really great job,” Doolittle said. “And one fellow we’re really excited about from the college – he’s studying piano and performance in Boston right now – is coming back to take the lead on the house band. His name is Odell Ziegler.”
The house band performs between the sets and accompanies the North Central students.
“They’re there to fill gaps and they’ll take a couple of songs for themselves as well,” he said.
DaVonte Sanders serves as the emcee and spoken word artist, he said.
The format is all contemporary gospel straight down the line this year, he said.
“We’re really looking more toward highlighting the folks who are making up-and-coming waves out here in the area,” he said.
Nicor sponsors the event as a part of Black History Month at North Central College. Doolittle said he’s pleased that the company recognizes how important the gospel tradition is in the college and the community.
“It’s going to be a high-energy night of praise and worship,” he said. “It is going to be full-out there this year. We’re really excited about that.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
‘Gospel Extravaganza’
When: Feb. 4
Where: Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave.,, Naperville
Tickets: $15-$20
Information: 630-637-7469; www.northcentralcollege.edu/show
