Take 6 Still Spreads the Love After Four Decades

Show Notes:

Host Steve Roby sits down with Claude McKnight, founding member of the legendary a cappella group Take 6, ahead of their four-night residency at SFJAZZ. With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, and a spot in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Take 6 has spent more than four decades redefining what the human voice can do.

Highlights:

• Origins at Oakwood College — Claude shares how what started as a casual barbershop quartet grew into a septet, unlocking the richer jazz harmonies that would become Take 6's signature sound.
• The moment they knew it was special — The infamous bathroom rehearsal story: when arranger Mark Kibble walked in and added a fifth part, everything changed.
• "Spread Love" turns 40 — Claude reflects on why their most beloved song still resonates: it was the first thing most fans ever heard from them, and it captured everything Take 6 set out to be.
• Rhapsody: a new jazz standards album — Claude previews the group's forthcoming record, featuring collaborations with Snarky Puppy, Dirty Loops, drummer J.R. Robinson, and trumpeter Chris Botti, plus an inventive take on Dave Brubeck's Take Five. Expect a single soon, with the full album arriving after the new year.
• Every night is different — On the joy of unscripted performance and what keeps Take 6 fresh after four-plus decades on stage.

All music used in this episode was supplied by the artist or their management and used with their permission.

See Take 6 Live at SFJAZZ Miner Auditorium, San Francisco, August 13–16Thu–Sat at 7:30 PM | Sun at 7:00 PM

🎟 Tickets and info: sfjazz.org