Jubilation in the song | Auckland Lifestyle News | Health, Fashion, Food and Wine in Auckland

Sharu Delilkan meets a chorister whose credo is 'sing in good company'.

Jean McAllister loves singing, but singing a cappella with the Jubilation Choir is particularly special for her.

"I have sung with many bands, so it's refreshing not to have to compete with the sound of drums or electric instruments," says the former singer with the late David Lange's favourite Kiwi quartet, The Drongos.

And she's looking forward to Jubilation's latest gig at the Monte Cristo Room this week where she will  also conduct one of her original songs.

That piece, First to Come Home, is on the group's first CD, Shout and Never Get Tired which was released last October. It's one of many numbers Jubilation will render at the Auckland show.

Other songs from them will be founding member and R&B legend Rick Bryant's Learn to Forgive, mixed with songs from the 1840s right through to the 21st century - classics by Isaac Hayes, Don McGlashan and Tom Waits.

The Avondale singer-songwriter says she doesn't only love the energy of the group. "Singing in harmony gives me a great sense of bliss."

A teacher at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand since 2004, McAllister looks upon the concert as a wonderful opportunity because "it's great to conduct adults for a change".

Her first session with the group wasn't what she expected it would be. "Rick invited me to have a sing and see how I liked it in 2000, and I just stayed on because it was so much fun. It's quite a rare thing to find 33 people whose company you enjoy and share a similar passion [with].

"Nobody joins a choir to make money - that's for sure. So it has to be fun and musically rewarding."

Jubilation Gospel 2010, Monte Cristo Room, 53 Nelson St, Auckland CBD, Aug 21, 8pm. Tickets: ph 887 1004 or see: www.nztix.co.nz