What Shapes a Soul

If you are looking for something a bit different to do on a Saturday evening, there is a concert coming up at St Mary's Church on April 25th, 2026, called 'What Shapes a Soul'. It is a musical programme that explores spirituality through a mix of genres, moving from American gospel and spiritual hymns to African folk music. The event starts at 18:30, and it seems like a fairly relaxed way to spend a few hours in the city.

The programme is split into two distinct halves. The first part focuses on contemporary sounds, blending religious gospel hymns with romantic classical music. You will hear pieces like Steven Banks' 'Come As You Are', the gospel standard 'Come Sunday', and songs by the soul singer Sam Cooke. For this specific UK tour date, the saxophonist Samuel Beddard is performing alongside the pianist Jo Foote. It is interesting to see how they are bridging these different musical styles, especially with the inclusion of soul classics alongside more traditional gospel arrangements.

After the interval, the focus shifts backwards in time. The second half features spirituals by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and New Orleans jazz, before concluding with the 'Suite after Abel Selaocoe'. This final piece is designed to highlight Selaocoe’s approach to bringing traditional African music to new audiences. Given the venue, St Mary's Church on St James' Street, the acoustics should be quite well-suited for this kind of varied, instrumental-heavy performance. Tickets are priced at £10.00 for standard entry, with a £5.00 rate available for those eligible for concessions, making it a relatively accessible option if you are interested in exploring this specific blend of folk, jazz, and classical influences.