About Black Voices

Quietly and gently, informally and gradually, Black Voices was nurtured under the directorship of Carol Pemberton and Bob Ramdhanie. Since 1987, they steered Black Voices into one of the most solid performance and teaching companies, sharing a cappella, primarily from Africa but also throughout the Diaspora. The company is inspired by Sweet Honey in the Rock, Mahalia Jackson and Take Six, to name a few, but since inception, has forged its own dynamic way of distilling and re-presenting black music from a Caribbean, black British perspective. Grounded in the black church, the group presents a cappella, both sacred and secular, which is always challenging and entertaining. From spirituals to gospel, African to Caribbean, blues and jazz, Black Voices is firmly rooted in music that energises and uplifts, challenges and educates. The company hosted and presented its own a cappella series on BBC Radio 2, has performed on radio and television in numerous countries around the world, has produced several CDs, and has researched, produced, directed and performed in many international collaborations.

Carol Pemberton and Bob Ramdhanie maintained an unbroken presence in the company up to 2011, forging a global path presenting rich, powerful harmonies across cultures, genders, ages and beliefs. Currently, the group operates as a professional collective, but maintains its tradition of performing as a quintet.