“Brandon’s unwavering passion for Black sacred music will no doubt qualify him to be one of this generation’s most talented educators on the subject. From his spiritual arrangements to his original research on one of contemporary gospel music’s most unsung progenitors, Thomas Whitfield, his work will significantly contribute to the choral realm and beyond.”
“From Dr. Brandon Waddles’ first transcription of Thomas Whitfield’s ‘With My Whole Heart’ to his later doctoral research and additional transcriptions, I am confident that a Whitfield revival and renaissance has begun. Like Mendelssohn revived the works of J.S. Bach, Waddles’ recognition of Thomas Whitfield’s genius and his incomparable efforts in accurately transcribing Whitfield’s works have made them accessible to a wider public, such that Whitfield’s legacy is today recognized as a summit of gospel musical expression.”
As a native of Detroit, my ears have been ringing with the diverse sounds of this music-filled city even prior to my own consciousness. My father, a celebrated musician in his own right, instilled within me a love for the broad spectrum of music created in Detroit, particularly within the realm of Black sacred music. Traveling with him to experience the inimitable music ministries at churches like Hartford Memorial, New Bethel and St. James provided me with the unmistakable sounds of the Negro spiritual, the anthem, the lined hymn and the gospel song. I was so fortunate to have been able to absorb this rich aural aesthetic at such a young age. For that reason, I find it not only my duty but my joy to share this cultural gift with the world of academia and beyond. My current areas of research focus on Negro spirituals, the evolution of contemporary gospel music, and the life and work of Thomas Whitfield.
Whitfield, also a native Detroiter, is arguably the most influential figure in the early development of contemporary gospel music. Several of today’s most celebrated figures in the genre, including Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Richard Smallwood, Twinkie Clark, Donald Lawrence and Kurt Carr have referred to him as a seminal influence on their music making. His prodigious pianistic gift, revelatory harmonic exploration, heightened production standards, and elevated songwriting comprised the ingredients of his eponymous Whitfield Sound, an unmistakable aural aesthetic that yet seeps from the sound of gospel music today. Whitfield’s untimely death in 1992 proved a great blow to the industry that referred to him as the Maestro, but the immortality of his legacy should deem him the Dean of Contemporary Gospel Music.
Just In Case You’ve Forgotten
Several years ago, Dr. James Abbington, editor of the African American Church Music series of GIA Publications, Inc., charged me with the task of transcribing several of Thomas Whitfield’s most enduring compositions. Today, these remain as the only published scorings of his work, bringing life to a project Whitfield desired to start shortly before his passing. GIA recently released Just In Case You’ve Forgotten, an introductory subseries featuring ten of the published scores. This compendium, along with my similarly titled doctoral dissertation, was inspired by the namesake composition Whitfield wrote as a final love letter to the gospel community.
As this work continues via various media, I look forward to sharing my research with you. Contact me, and join the experience…