Carnival of Soul

Brenda Marsh-Mitchell (File photo)

An array of talented local and national artists will headline the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage at the 14th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Crenshaw Blvd., from Barack Obama Blvd. to Stocker Ave., in South Los Angeles.

Gospel mega-producer Warryn Campbell and his wife, Grammy award-winner Erica Campbell, will play leading roles as Taste of Soul co-chairs of both the festival and the gospel stage. Warryn will bring his “My Block” roster to perform, which includes musical luminaries JoiStaRR, Jason McGee and The Choir, Lena Byrd Miles and The Walls Group.

Local quartet group, the Zion Messengers, will also take the stage bringing the sounds of ole’ school religion to Crenshaw Blvd. The Zion Messengers are featured on Snoop Dogg’s “Bible of Love” gospel CD. In August 2018, the group was nominated for a Dove Award.

Also, a portion of the program will highlight popular regional vocalists and choirs recruited by Pastor Kelvin Sauls of Sauls Enterprises and Ricardo Mowatt of Mowatt Entertainment.

According to Taste of Soul creator and Sentinel Executive Publisher Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., “The Taste of Soul Gospel Stage will always have a special place in my heart. The Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage is named in honor of the first Taste of Soul and Mothers in Action president and my dear friend and longtime assistant, Brenda Marsh-Mitchell.

(From Left-to-Right): Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage c-chairs, Warryn and Erica Campbell, (top) Los Angeles Inner City Mass Choir, (bottom) Jason Mc-Gee and The Choir, Pastor Desmond Pringle, Holman Jubilant Voices, Zion Messengers, The Walls Group, Angela Polk and Lena Byrd Miles. Courtesy Photos

“To watch this stage grow along with Taste of Soul, from a small stage in front of the Sentinel office to a premier stage drawing thousands of God-fearing, spiritually-grounded fans of gospel music right here on Crenshaw Blvd. is certainly a blessing,” he said.

“To have gospel music superstars like Erica and Warryn Campbell as host and co-chairs of the gospel stage and of Taste of Soul is a dream come true. I cannot say thank you enough to both Erica and Warryn as well my friend Pastor Kelvin Sauls, who together have made the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Stage one of the premier annual stages that our people look forward to each and every year. I know Brenda is smiling down from heaven on us all this year and every year,” insisted Bakewell.

“Our mission is to make a joyful noise unto the Lord through gifted artists and quality music that embodies the vision and spirit of Brenda,” noted Sauls. “We’re looking forward to taking the good news of Jesus Christ from the sanctuary to the streets and I promise that the experience will be entertaining, exalting, energetic and epic!”

Christian comedian J-Red and KJLH’s Aundrae Russell will return as emcees for the first half of the musical production. The performers include Shari Demby, Pastor Desmond Pringle, Angela Polk, the Jubilant Voices ensemble of Holman United Methodist Church, and the Los Angeles Inner City Mass Choir.

Excited about the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage, Sauls said to the community, “Join us as we give God the highest praise, amplify God’s love, and multiply our love for one another. Come for a blessing and leave blessed to be a blessing!