Bio

Charles Moorer 

In April 2022, Bassist and Vocalist Charles Moorer (forever “Chuck” to his friends, colleagues and fans) preached a powerful, thought-provoking sermon at Divine Direction Christian Church in Indianapolis, where he had been lead pastor for close to 20 years. He began by asking the members of his congregation, “Change? Are you Good at it?” Towards the end of that year, he realized that though the Lord used him as a vessel to deliver that message to his faithful flock, God was also delivering a personal message. 

Chuck felt in his spirit that a big transition was coming, and that he would soon stop pastoring to dedicate more time to his music ministry, recording and other business and creative endeavors. He found it fascinating that his decision was confirmed, quite unexpectedly, at various times by several of his late mother’s sisters at different times. One of the first promising results of his fateful life and career decision is his latest gospel influenced contemporary urban jazz album If You Wait, which follows his first two well received collections recorded under the name Charles Moorer & The Faithful Few – his 2016 debut Divine Direction and Keeper of My Soul (2020). Co-produced by Chuck and #1 Billboard artist and producer Nils – who also produced Keeper of My Soul – If You Wait is an inspiring, deeply soulful seven-track set showcasing Chuck’s funky, melodic bass skills and emotionally powerful vocals. In addition to Nils on rhythm guitar, the album features Nils’ core crew of Ollie C. Brown (percussion), Johnny Britt (horn section) and Clydene Jackson (background vocals) in addition to superstar guests, Grammy nominees/keyboardists Ellis Hall and Philippe Saisse, saxophonist Gerald Albright and Grammy winner/keyboardist Jeff Lorber. Other musicians on the project include drummers Cory Mason, Gorden Campbell and Eric Valentine; keyboardists Greg Manning, Carla Maxwell and Isaiah Walker; UK vocalist Priscilla Bailey and top gospel singer and artist Paul Porter; and rapper, keyboardist and drum programmer Smooth P (Paul Otis). 

“If You Wait is a project focused on the theme of encouragement,” says Chuck. “Sometimes we’re in a position where we want things to move in a certain direction, but they don’t always go the way we want them to. Some of the songs address important questions about God’s existence, self-doubt and wondering if our service to others even makes sense.

 

These songs are designed to encourage people to deal with their doubts, trust the Higher Power and realize that we’ve all just gotta keep life moving. One of my prayers is that God would allow me to create music that appeals to a lot of people, with concepts everyone can relate to. I believe that if we can somehow channel the hardships we’ve gone through and challenges we’ve faced into finding ways to help and encourage others, we can find bold strength in that.”

Though music is definitely his current focus, Chuck is a true Renaissance man. He started the first minority owned insurance claims company in Indiana. He has an MBA with a leadership emphasis from Baker College and earned his Juris Doctor law degree from Novus University in 2020. He is also the author of two books, Giving Up Is Not An Option (partially inspired by his late son Chadwin’s longtime battle with cancer) and Standing on the World of Adonai,” which he finished after Chadwin passed away in 2018. Chuck is also working with film producer Joshua Coates on a film about his life titled Divine Direction; Nils has promised to work with Chuck on the soundtrack. 

Chuck’s great desire as an artist is for his music to be used to meet and elevate people all around the world, wherever they may be in their lives, by coming to know that Adonai (God) loves them and the have a daily advocate in Yeshua (Jesus). “I was going to call the new album ‘Yeshua Praise’ after another one of its songs, but after I wrote ‘If You Wait,’ it felt like the right title because we do have struggles in our lives that require great patience to endure and overcome. We’re always looking for different ways to move, and I believe that sometimes, we have to simply wait on the Lord. Being patient is hard but if you wait, you’ll find that His plan is always better than what we could have imagined on our own!”

ON STAGE
Because music has always been part of Chuck’s ministry, Charles Moorer & The Faithful Few weren’t like gospel ensembles that perform for profit at festivals and typical concert venues. Their schedule was always based on the needs presented to them at any given moment, incorporating the logistics of time and distance when travel was involved. Performing regionally throughout Indiana and Ohio and everywhere from Atlanta to small towns in Mississippi, they have done benefit concerts to bless the battered at women’s shelters, sickle cell patients, inmates from Marion County Jail II, senior citizens (via the organization God’s Vision) and people with special needs in the community.

 

They have performed for a children’s scholarship fund in Ohio to help kids raise money for an educational trip to Washington, DC and ministered onstage alongside BET’s Sunday’s Best contestant Chase Stancle at Indiana Wesleyan University. In 2010, the group was featured when Divine Direction hosted a Haiti Relief Service to raise funds in the wake of the devastating earthquake in that country. “We’re not in this for money or fame,” says Chuck. “We are all working stiffs with businesses outside the church. We make music to spread the gospel and help people in need.”

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Over the past few years, Chuck’s other notable performances include The National NCGAG Conference, The Illinois Gospel Festival, The Bobby Jones Show on the Impact Television Network, and has been a guest on CarribTelevision network shows in the Caribbean and Africa, including St. Kitts, Uganda, and Kenya, The Dorinda Clark show on TCT Network; and Atlanta Live WATC Channel 57 with James and Regina Howard. He has performed at back-to-back International Gospel Music Summits in London, UK, and a Bahamas cruise concert hosted by the Bible or Babble TV game show. He also recorded a song with award winning British artist Priscilla Bailey titled “Heaven,” a winner of the Gospel Choice Music Award (available to view on YouTube).

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MUSIC

Though the title of Chuck’s new album If You Wait is a deeply spiritual reference to waiting on the Lord for his direction and mercies, fans of the multi-talented bassist, singer, songwriter and producer could easily apply it to the waiting being over at long last for a follow-up to his popular 2020 album Keeper of My Soul.

In addition to the seven vocal tracks on the main album, Chuck will be blessing fans of smooth jazz first with an all-instrumental version of the title track “If You Wait.” The track starts out easy flowing and builds towards a funky, high-powered crescendo, offering a dynamic showcase for Chuck’s buoyant, melodic bass energy on the verse sections, complemented and further fueled by Gerald Albright’s trademark soulful sax excitement on harmonies at specific junctures. Albright later contributes an intense, freewheeling trademark solo where it’s as if the fire of heaven breaks loose and God delivers beautifully and emphatically on His promise. The instrumental version reflects the title concept brilliantly, increasing anticipation via a slow build slowly with a cool mid-tempo bass melody and sax harmony before both Chuck and Albright strut their more intense stuff.

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The vocal version of “If You Wait” gets off to the same start with Albright’s snazzy sax intro, followed by a beautiful and passionate duet between the silky voiced Chuck (whose bass pops in the background on occasion) and the crystal intonations of singer Priscilla Bailey. Though their back-and-forth rapport in the verses is enticing, their gorgeous, soaring blended harmonies on the chorus are sheer perfection and really drive the point of the lyrical narrative home. The chorus contains the simple yet powerful message that “If you wait upon the Lord, he will renew your strength,” but there are some equally insightful nuggets of wisdom in the verses, including “Challenges in life will help us grow” and “He will do for your like no one else can do.” The vocal version includes a brief, crackling electric guitar solo by Nils. 

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The album’s first single for gospel radio is the uplifting mid-tempo ballad “Teach Them,” a thoughtful “message” song whose artful blend of silkiness and empowerment sounds like we might have heard had Luther Vandross devoted his life to gospel music. Opening with verses underscored and enhanced by Mike Parlett’s whimsical, angelic flute harmony, the first half of the song features Chuck’s beautiful lead vocals before he hands them over on the second verse to the even deeper vocal riches of gospel great Paul Porter, a three-decade long member of the family group The Christianaires who launched his solo career in 2008. Towards the end, the magical flute vibe returns and the two engage in some wild vocal modulations that repeat the song’s main mantra: “Teach them how to serve.” The song is about the mission of Christians to serve others because it’s what they are called to do, even if “you can expect the heart will get broken.” The main point is that if your heart is in the right place, the Lord will help you see it through.   

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Chuck loves the easy grooving, light funk and brass-fired “Yeshua Praise” so much that he almost named the album after it. Though it’s a straightforward vocal praise (to Yeshua/Jesus) song featuring Chuck’s always inviting vocals in front of gospel-choir flavored backing vocals by Clydene Jackson, it’s also a lively, classic styled urban jazz track featuring Johnny Britt’s feisty horn accents, Chuck’s bubbling, snappy bass solo action and old school soul jazz keyboard vibes by the legendary Jeff Lorber. One doesn’t have to be a Christian to be drawn into the spirit of the song, in which Chuck expresses astonishment that Jesus called his name, which inspires him now to “sing your praise ‘cause I’m not ashamed.” 

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Another standout track on If You Wait is “Some People Say,” a cool R&B/jazz meditation on people questioning God’s existence, followed by some solid and compelling reasons to believe; the song allows Chuck to showcase his falsetto a bit and features the elegant piano harmonies of Grammy nominated keyboardist Philippe Saisse. On “Don’t You Worry,” Chuck and Smooth P (Paul Otis) transfer the gospel groove into the hip-hop realm, complementing the gospel backing vocals with Chuck’s smooth lead vocal assurances and Smooth P’s (Paul Otis) intoxicating rap. The key line: “All you gotta do is hold on…hold on to your faith, yeah and be strong.” Chuck rounds out the album with the lush, graceful ballads “I’ll Be There” and “You Understand,” both of which emphasize God’s compassion and empathy for our life situations and his faithfulness to get us through.

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THE EARLY YEARS

Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Chuck always had a passion for music and grew up singing gospel songs written by his dad, who accompanied him on piano and also played bass. His aunt, Gospel radio Hall of Famer Gertrude Holt, grabbed hold of Chuck’s talent as a youngster and had him performing many concerts and opening for such acts as The Williams Brothers. He earned a music scholarship at a college in Tennessee, but transferred to Kent State so he could play football. While earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, he continued to play music but gravitated more towards jazz/funk in groups like Opus Day Funk and Overnight Male. Prior to and after moving to L.A. to pursue his musical dreams, he had the privilege to work with some accomplished professionals that included guys who worked with Cameo, Switch, and the privilege of participating as an extra in the band of filmmaker and comedian Robert Townsend’s critically acclaimed movie “The Five Heart Beats”. 

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While going through the proverbial struggles trying to break in, Chuck got into the insurance business. His subsequent success in that business has afforded him the opportunity to pursue godlier musical and ministerial endeavors. He did a lot of soul searching before, he believes, the Lord led him back to the Midwest. One day, looking for a home church in the Indianapolis area, Chuck stumbled upon the 28th Street Church of God in Christ. After attending a few times, he learned that the band needed a bass player and volunteered to play. This brought Chuck back to his gospel roots. At one point, he stepped in to become their interim minister of music. One night, he had a dream about meeting an organ player there – and when that very man walked into the church not long after, Chuck saw it as a sign of moving into music ministry at another level. Not too long after, he founded The Faithful Few music ministry.  

REVIEW

“Though he’s got a Lutheresque voice, is a powerful performer on bass guitar, writes beautiful songs and enjoys working with the cream of the crop musicians and superstars in the urban jazz world, music is, amazingly, only one of the things that makes Chuck Moorer a fascinating force in the creative and spiritual worlds. Still, those other endeavors (insurance, preaching, book authoring, etc.) head to the sidelines so he can focus solely on offering unique, richly soulful and jazzy  ways to praise the Lord in song on If You Wait, an extraordinary seven track gospel/jazz album co-produced by Chuck with guitarist Nils and featuring performances by, among others, Nils, Gerald Albright, Philippe Saisse, Jeff Lorber, gospel vocalist Paul Porter and rapper Smooth P. Besides Chuck’s great lead vocals, transcendent guest appearances, powerful messaging and backing vocals that rise to the gospel choir occasion, perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the album is that Chuck has found two genres to excel in and share his passion for the Gospel with. So, what are you waiting for? Prepare to be inspired and start listening!” – Jonathan Widran, The JW Vibe 
 

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