With their roots in gospel music, Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar mix the style with a variety of genre including jazz, pop and musical theater.
They will return to the stage for the first time since the pandemic on Feb. 9 at the University of South Carolina Aiken’s Etherredge Center.
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“This is our tour program. We haven’t done it since 2017. We’ve changed it a lot,” said McLaughlin, the founder of the group based in Augusta. “This is the Zamar Experience. It has a lot of different kinds of music.”
McLaughlin, who wears many musical hats, brought together the Sounds of Zamar from his own group of friends in 2009. He started with six and would replace a member when someone moved out of town. The number has grown as many of those original members who left have since returned.
There are about 24 total members with 12 to 15 performing at any given time. The singers are known for their harmonies, blending with McLaughlin’s arrangements.
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The group’s core audience is comprised of colleges and universities. It’s rare that a local audience can see them perform.
“Typically, when we book, we do outreaches with the university’s vocal department or in area schools,” he said.
The outreach focuses on how gospel music and black spirituals have influenced other styles of music from jazz to contemporary. The music of performers such as Michael Jackson, John Legend and Justin Bieber are often part of the program.
Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar is part of the University of South Carolina Aiken’s cultural series. The concert will be performed live at 7:30 p.m. Not only will there be in-person seating, but people who prefer not to meet in public can view the live stream.
Tickets for the livestream and in-person are available online at www.usca.edu or by calling the box office at (803) 641-3305.
Read our article on Trey McLaughlin at https://theaugustapress.com/mclaughlins-music-reaches-millions/
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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