Lia Gilmore: combining feelings with faith

Original text: http://www2.citypaper.com/special/story.asp?id=10313

The solo career of Leah Gilmore, like the blues itself, like a magnet between two opposite poles: a carefree flirting and incredible religiosity, almost fanaticism. The singer from Baltimore, successfully performs in both hypostles - showing her universal talent.

Of course, there are many binding threads and coincidence between styles as blues and gospel, but conflict is always present. Take, for example, one characteristic case.

Speaking at a charitable dinner, Lia performed Alberta Hunter's composition “Two-Fisted Double-Jointed Roun and Ready Man”, which is a sensual model of blues classics. Gilmore began to perform it, relaxed, slowly shaking his hips to the beat. There is a line in the songs where she tells her man what she feels inside “When you tear off all the clothes from me” (“When Take Off All My Clothes”), but when she reaches this line for the second time, her religiosity and adherence to Gospel take her. And she sings “when you, mm-hmm”, closing her eyes and raising her hands to heaven, as if embarrassed by her sinful desires and trying to silence them. This is the whole conflict - in the contradiction of two such close and at the same time different musical genres, blues and gospel, sensual desires and faith.

In the life of Lia itself, in addition to singing, there is a place for active social activity. She spent most of her life in the fight against various causes of social injustice, defending the rights of minorities, freedoms and rights of women around the world. Gilmore has been cooperating with the Indian health care services for many years and is the founder of Gilmore Group, a consulting non -profit organization that helps to solve various social problems. She uses her roots - popular origin, as a platform for the spread of pacifist ideas using her talent.

Music leads it around the world-to Africa and Europe, and thanks to it it has become an unofficial ambassador of Afro-American music in Belgium.

Speaking about her speeches outside the United States, she notes: “When I sing in Europe, people often do not understand the meaning, because not everyone is talking in English. But now, the process of crossing cultures has begun and this unites us all. I think that regardless of the country and those ministries that are in this country, state -owned gospel is the most universal, international ministry that always speaks the same language.”

The vocal split of the personality of Leah Gilmore gives her incredible versatility. What looks like a conflict for someone is natural for LII. Her passion for such spiritually different genres as blues and gospel is a mystery to even for her and the topic of creative understanding. In life, she sees the same conflict of feelings and faith that she is trying to solve her social activities - spreading the ideas of good and love around the world, using her voice as a tool. And it doesn’t matter if someone does not fully understand the words - this is music for the soul, but she does not need a translation.