Voices of Mobile

From Heaven

If you have the opportunity to meet Roger Breland, you won't be disappointed. He has magnetic energy, the kind that fills a room. When you meet him, you want to be a part. You're not even sure what you want to be a part of, but you want to be a part. It makes sense. He's one of the most influential men in contemporary Christian Music.

You won't hear about his influence from him, but you will hear it from people around the city and beyond. Those who casually refer to him as "Roger," those titans in the Christian music scene who have known him for so long. Among his many successes, he is the founder of Truth, one of the most successful traveling Christian groups ever, who it is fair to say revolutionized Christian contemporary music. Now Dr. Breland is the Director/Dean of the Center for Performing Arts at the University of Mobile, and among his 24 + active music groups at the University, is a group who performs at the White House, the Notre Dame Cathedral in France, and of course at the annually at Christmas Spectacular, the Mayor's annual breakfast, and the UM banquet. This group, called the Voices of Mobile, is sincerely incredible. They are without a doubt one of the best vocal groups in the United States.

Here's an experience: you pop into a little Baptist Church in Prichard, lent to Voices of Mobile for rehearsal. You enter, but you can't see the group yet, you only hear them. But what you hear knocks you to the ground. It's stunning. Simply stunning.  You’ll think, those vocals are perfect, it’s got to be a recording. And you haven't even seen them yet. When you finally enter the room where they are singing, you think, my gosh, that is no recording, they are singing. And what's more, they are impeccably polished, a poised group of joyful guys and girls, not over 22, singing their hearts out. And you'll stand there astonished, thinking, I can't believe I am standing here, listening to this.

And there is Roger Breland, alongside you with a smile. He'll watch you, happy just to see your face lit up from listening. He'll point out some of the precision. See how they hold their mics? He'll say. It's all about the details. You can certainly see the details are there. But it's still hard to figure out...how in the world did he get these kids together?

It's a simple plan for a talented man name Roger. Breland is a man who has answered his calling. A man of devout faith, a man who believes in communication of the Holy Spirit through music, a man who is doing what he was born to do. How does he do it? With years of mastery through groups like Truth, and simply honing the talents God gave him.

Dr. Breland answered the call, and God gave him a miracle. It is called Voices of Mobile.

But there is something else important: it's not about Breland. You can see in Dr. Breland that he truly loves the kids, love seeing their talents transformed into perfection. And it so fun. You want to listen to them. You want to join this group who spends hours performing songs praising God.

And then they finish singing. They take a break, and come up to you, a group of white smiles greeting you in several different accents...their group includes a true bass from Alaska, a gal who can play the heck out of a violin (and does for one of their songs), and a incredible talent Breland discovered at a community college in Alabama. That's how Dr. Breland works. He's open to God' voice. It's the kind of thing that makes you stand back and say, God you are amazing.

   

We are so fortunate to have Voices of Mobile at vivace.