FABC Soulsation Events

10/06/2023

08/30/2023

Saturday, September 16th in RVA - The Soulsation Gospel & Jazz Concert is an evening highlighting excellence in African American culture featuring Grammy and NAACP Image award winning gospel artist Hezekiah Walker with the Virginia Union University Choir, jazz great James Saxsmo Gates & Friends, and more! MC for the event is comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White. 🎟️ Tickets: https://soulsationconcert.eventbrite.com/. General Ticket: $50 | All Access Pass including Crystal Reception: $75

08/30/2023

Saturday, September 16th in RVA - The Soulsation Gospel & Jazz Concert is an evening highlighting excellence in African American culture featuring Grammy and NAACP Image award winning gospel artist Hezekiah Walker with the Virginia Union University Choir, jazz great James Saxsmo Gates & Friends, and more! MC for the event is comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White. 🎟️ Tickets: https://soulsationconcert.eventbrite.com/. General Ticket: $50 | All Access Pass including Crystal Reception: $75

08/30/2023

Saturday, September 16th: The Soulsation Gospel & Jazz Concert is an evening highlighting excellence in African American culture featuring Grammy and NAACP Image award winning gospel artist Hezekiah Walker with the Virginia Union University Choir. Also performing is jazz great James Saxsmo Gates & Friends, and more! Masterfully weaving the evening together will be comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White as the master of ceremonies.

General Ticket: $50
All Access Pass including Crystal Reception: $75
Tickets: https://soulsationconcert.eventbrite.com/

08/26/2023

Monday is the actual anniversary of the March on Washington and there will be a FREE program to honor the day that you don’t want to miss! Desirée Roots has written a program for Virginia Repertory Theatre that she will deliver with her brother Dr. Arthur Roots that will include music and narration of events in Dr. King’s life leading to the march and the iconic speech, “I Have A Dream”. The Roots will be joined by the RVA Community Voices Gospel Choir directed by Michelle Lightfoot.

Limited seating. Registration requested: https://kingtribute.eventbrite.com

The event takes place at the historic First African Baptist Church Richmond, VA, a place visited by Dr. King just a few weeks after the march. He addressed the congregation from the pulpit to communicate the “urgency of now”. For VA Rep to honor Dr. King at the third oldest black church in the country is a very fitting tribute.

07/23/2023

The Soulsation Gospel & Jazz Concert is an evening highlighting excellence in African American culture featuring Grammy and NAACP Image award winning gospel artist Hezekiah Walker with the Virginia Union University Choir. Also performing is local jazz great James Saxsmo Gates, who will be accompanied by other jazz musicians. Branden Anderson will perform his chart topping single “God Did It” mixing gospel with a blend of R&B and hip hop. And, Brown Ballerinas for Change will open the evening with a culture enriched contemporary dance performance. Masterfully weaving the evening together will be comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White as the master of ceremonies.

General Ticket: $50
All Access Pass including Crystal Reception: $75
Tickets: https://soulsationconcert.eventbrite.com/

FABC Soulsation events celebrate the pastoral anniversaries of Dr. Rodney Waller

07/23/2023

The Soulsation Gospel & Jazz Concert is an evening highlighting excellence in African American culture featuring Grammy and NAACP Image award winning gospel artist Hezekiah Walker with the Virginia Union University Choir. Also performing is local jazz great James Saxsmo Gates, who will be accompanied by other jazz musicians. Branden Anderson will perform his chart topping single “God Did It” mixing gospel with a blend of R&B and hip hop. And, Brown Ballerinas for Change will open the evening with a culture enriched contemporary dance performance. Masterfully weaving the evening together will be comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White as the master of ceremonies.

General Ticket: $50
All Access Pass including Crystal Reception: $75
Tickets: https://soulsationconcert.eventbrite.com/

07/23/2023

We are excited to bring our next FABC Soulsation event to the new Virginia Repertory Theatre’ VA Rep Center for Arts & Education on Saturday, September 16th.

07/23/2023

Flashback: We had. great time at our gala in 2018! Now let’s get ready for our 2023 event!

We are excited to announce James Saxsmo Gates is joining Desireé Roots and Rosetta Stone Band at the Soulsation Gala: An Evening of Jazz, Gospel & Dance.

Also performing are saxophonist Rick Elliott, vocalist Joye B. Moore, Gospel 440, The Saint Paul's Baptist Church Praise Dance Ensemble with T.V. personality Antoinette Essa serving as Mistress of Ceremony.

Friday, September 14th
Reception at 6pm, dinner at 7pm and dance to follow
Attire: Festive Chic
Location: Richmond Marriott Hotel, Downtown Richmond
Tickets Price: $100

Purchase tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-soulsation-gala-an-evening-of-jazz-gospel-dance-tickets-48267159373

Information: 804-329-7279 or http://firstafricanbaptist.org/

A celebration of Dr. Rev. Rodney D Waller’s 10th Anniversary as Pastor of the historic First African Baptist Church (FABC).

07/23/2023

Flashback: We had. great time at our gala in 2018! Now let’s get ready for our 2023 event!

Soulsation Gala: An Evening of Jazz, Gospel, & Dance featuring vocalist Desirée Roots Centeio, saxophonist Rick Elliott, vocalist Joye B. Moore, Gospel 440, Rosetta Stone Band, The Saint Paul's Baptist Church Praise Dance Ensemble with T.V. personality Antoinette Essa serving as Mistress of Ceremony.

Friday, September 14th
Reception at 6pm, dinner at 7pm and dance to follow
Attire: Festive Chic
Location: Richmond Marriott Hotel, Downtown Richmond
Tickets Price: $100

Purchase tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-soulsation-gala-an-evening-of-jazz-gospel-dance-tickets-48267159373

Information: 804-329-7279 or http://firstafricanbaptist.org/

A celebration of Dr. Rev. Rodney D Waller’s 10th Anniversary as Pastor of the historic First African Baptist Church (FABC).

07/23/2023

Flashback: We had. great time at our gala in 2018! Now let’s get ready for our 2023 event!

07/23/2023

Fashback: We had. great time at our gala in 2018! Now let’s get ready for our 2023 event!

An evening of Jazz, Gospel, and Dance. Friday September 14th.

07/23/2023

Flashback: We had. great time at our gala in 2018! Now let’s get ready for our 2023 event!

Soulsation Gala: An Evening of Jazz, Gospel, & Dance featuring vocalist Desirée Roots Centeio, saxophonist Rick Elliott, vocalist Joye B. Moore, Gospel 440, Rosetta Stone Band, The Saint Paul's Baptist Church Praise Dance Ensemble with T.V. personality Antoinette Essa serving as Mistress of Ceremony.

Friday, September 14th
Reception at 6pm, dinner at 7pm and dance to follow
Attire: Festive Chic
Location: Richmond Marriott Hotel, Downtown Richmond
Tickets Price: $100

Purchase tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-soulsation-gala-an-evening-of-jazz-gospel-dance-tickets-48267159373

Information: 804-329-7279 or http://firstafricanbaptist.org/

A celebration of Dr. Rev. Rodney D Waller’s 10th Anniversary as Pastor of the historic First African Baptist Church (FABC).

07/23/2023

Flashback: We had. great time at our gala in 2018! Now let’s get ready for our 2023 event!

Desireé Roots CD is available. You can see her perform live at The Soulsation Gala: An Evening of Jazz, Gospel, & Dance. Details below.

RVA’s one and only Soulsation Gala: An Evening of Jazz, Gospel, & Dance featuring Desirée Roots and the Rosetta Stone Band with special guests, Joye B. Moore, Gospel 440, Saxophonist Rick Elliott, and the St. Paul’s Baptist Church Praise Dancers. Television and radio personality Antoinette Essa will be the Mistress of Ceremonies.

The evening headliner is the jazz and theater sensation, Desirée Roots, who has been the opening act for several internationally acclaimed jazz music greats and entertainers throughout her career including, B. B. King, Kenny Garrett, Bobby Watson, Art Porter, Gerald Albright, Walter Beasley, Les McCann, Shirley Horne, and Leslie Uggams . Ms. Roots was also a vocalist with the world famous Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Ms. Roots has starred in over 30 stage productions. Recent theatre credits include lead roles as Effie White in DREAMGIRLS, Sofia in The Color Purple, and Caroline in Caroline or Change where she received the RTCC Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Last year she portrayed Ella Fitzgerald in a centennial celebration of the music legend in a production she wrote and directed. She is cast as Glenda the Good Witch in the upcoming production of The Whiz.

Also performing at the Soulsation Gala is voalist Joye B. Moore, a Richmond Jazz Festival fan favorite. “Indeed Ms. Moore’s world of music contains the components, which are respected and pertinent for setting the pace for an unchallenged leadership! ....There is a Grammy nomination in this recording! ”— The New Voice of New York

The evening will include the upbeat gospel soul sound of Gospel 440, a local gospel group taking Richmond by storm. The opening performance will be saxophonist Rick Elliott.

The evening will also include an opening reception and exquisite three course dinner followed by a dance where guests will step to the tunes of the Rosetta Stone Band.

The Soulsation Gala is in honor of Rev. Dr. Rodney D Waller’s 10th Anniversary as Pastor of First African Baptist Church.

Purchase Tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-soulsation-gala-an-evening-of-jazz-gospel-dance-tickets-48267159373?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Tickets Price: $100
Attire: Festive Chic
Location: Richmond Marriott Hotel, Downtown Richmond
Information: 804-329-7279 or http://firstafricanbaptist.org/

Visit our special page for video clips of the performers, photos and more information. The page name is The Soulsation Gala: An Evening of Jazz, & Dance. https://www.facebook.com/Soulsation-Gala-An-Evening-of-Jazz-Gospel-Dance-274458916438408/

07/23/2023

"President Abraham Lincoln once used the old building of First African Baptist as a meeting place to plan for the civil war."