Bay Area

Brian McKnight and Oakland Interfaith Choir Bring ‘Church’ to S.F. Symphony

Published

7 years ago

December 19, 2019

It was chilly and rainy in San Francisco on December 10, but guests basked in the warmth of the Christmas spirit at Davies Hall’s third annual Holiday Soul concert.

Featuring singer-songwriter Brian McKnight, guests were brought to church as the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, ushered in the Holy Spirit. Some praise-danced in the aisles, while others joyfully sang along with McKnight accompanied by the famous San Francisco Symphony with Thomas Wilkins as guest conductor.

The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC), led by Wilkins and McKnight, took the audience on a gospel odyssey of nearly a dozen songs. Dressed in a light gray suit that set off his salt-and-pepper beard, McKnight, also a producer and multi-instrumentalist, told the audience that he was thrilled to be in the Bay Area. “I love the Bay Area and tonight I have an opportunity to sing many songs I don’t get the chance to, so San Francisco, this one’s for you.”

The sultry-voiced McKnight demonstrated his melodic range, as he sang traditional holiday songs such as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song.” The orchestra and the OIGC band brought the bass as McKnight sang his popular love song “Shoulda Been Loving You.” The opening harp of “Still in Love With You” was also performed by McKnight along with “Still.”

McKnight dedicated “All I Need,” to his wife, Leilani Malia Mendoza. “She is my rock and keeps me grounded,” said McKnight. The heartfelt “When the Chariot Comes,” inspired by the death of a friend, gave McKnight an opportunity to sing beyond love songs and the spirit of Christmas. The award-winning McKnight has created 19 albums in the last 25 years.

Brian McKnight at Davies Hall in San Francisco for the third annual Holiday Soul concert featuring the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC) and the San Francisco Symphony. Photo by Carla Thomas.

The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC) featured director Terence Kelly performing Handel’s “Messiah,” Hairston’s arrangement of “Wade in de Water,” Dourox’s “Give Me a Clean Heart,” Kennicott Davis’ “Drummer Boy,” Walker’s “Amazing,” and Jones’ “Open Your Mouth and Say Something.” OIGC band members included David Belove on bass, Miles Lathan on drums, Jae Phoenix on tambourine and Louis Burrell and Ben Heveroh on keys.

The OIGC, in its third year at the SFS Holiday Soul concert, brings together singers and instrumentalists of diverse races and cultures. Founded in 1986, the choir’s mission is to inspire joy and unity among all people through Black gospel and spiritual music born out of Terrence Kelly’s Gospel Music Workshop from Living Jazz’s Jazz Camp West.

Wilkins has served as music director of the Omaha Symphony since 2005, as principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, artistic advisor of education and community engagement with the Boston Symphony and holds Indiana University’s Henry A. Upper Chair of Orchestral Conducting.

Carla Thomas

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

3 days ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.