TWO of the most pleasurable hours of my life were spent at the Wiltshire Music Centre on Sunday listening to an incredible jazz, swing and gospel version of a selection of choruses from Handel’s Messiah.

Soulful Messiah: A Celebration has been performed as a one-off project but it is absolutely crying out for funding to enable it to be performed elsewhere.

Music director Mike Daniels described the project as “one of the most joyful” he has ever been involved with and it’s not hard to understand why.

Seven members of Black Voices, combined with 18 members of the Town Hall Gospel Choir from Birmingham and a 42-strong community choir drawn from local groups, plus the Veritas Orchestra with brass, string and rhythm sections, made for a musical seventh heaven.

It was exciting, powerful, uplifting and incredibly joyful to watch and the energy of the performers was justifiably rewarded with a standing ovation at the end.

They enjoyed it and so did the packed audiences on Sunday - in fact some enjoyed it so much they watched both performances!

The concert was put together by Mike Daniels with Alex Douglas, Katie Musgrove and ADM Productions.

Mr Daniels said: “Soulful Messiah: A Celebration is our biggest project to date and it is not a cheap enterprise, nor it is easily funded.

“We really, really need your help to ensure that today’s performances are not a one-off.”

ADM Productions is actively seeking more funding - they need about £35,000 to cover Sunday’s concert and future performances.

If you wish to support a musical treat, then please do contact the company. Soulful Messiah deserves to be heard elsewhere.

John Baker