Soprano Marlissa Hudson has moved to Washington from her native St. Louis to build her career on the busy East Coast — but she's still very much a part of the local music scene. On Friday night, she'll celebrate her latest milestone with a recital and CD signing party.

Entitled "Libera," the recording is a mixture of African songs by Fred Onovwerosuoke, spirituals jazzily arranged by Mark Hayes, and classics by Puccini and Mendelssohn, in what Hudson calls "a purposeful classical mashup of composers." It's available for download on iTunes, and in both hard copy and downloading through Amazon.com and CDBaby.com.

Onovwerosuoke, better known as FredO, is a Ghanian of Nigerian ancestry and a talented composer who is published by Oxford University Press.

"FredO is really the reason the CD happened," Hudson says. "Our kids went to same school" in St. Louis. When Hudson and FredO met, met, they clicked musically.

FredO introduced Hudson to pianist Peter Henderson, a stalwart with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and other performers.

"When I heard Peter play, I said, 'Whatever it is, if he's playing, I'll sing it,'" Hudson says.

The recording includes six of Onovwerosuoke's beautiful collection "12 African Songs for Solo Voice and Piano, as well as a selection of irresistible spirituals arranged by Hayes.

"We deliberately picked an non-African-American arranger, just to get a different take on it," says Hudson says. "Most African-Americans do them from a classical perspective. Mark does them from a more jazz mindset. Some of them highlight Peter really well, like 'Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.' That's just crazy."

Hudson sings them all in a rich, expressive voice that doesn't stint on high notes, with clear diction and true feeling. Henderson demonstrates the amazing skill and artistry that keep him in demand.

For Friday's recital, Hudson will be accompanied by pianist Darryl Hollister, with assists from flutist Wendy Hymes, violinist Jessica Platt, violist Tanya Couture and cellist Kristin Sage, in a program that will include selections from the CD along with other songs.

Now living in McLean, Va., Hudson is working, auditioning and performing. She'll sing the principal role of Sister Rose in Union Avenue Opera's production of Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking" in August, and she's busy with church and oratorio gigs in the Washington area. She sang the national anthem at a Washington Wizards basketball game, and has solo recitals coming up at the Ghanian Embassy in Washington, in New York and in the United Kingdom.

"I'm looking for ways to make classical music more relevant to professionals in their 30s and 40s," she says. "I'm starting several programming initiatives, finding ways to do it dramatically," including recitals focused on each of the seven deadly sins.

Hudson is looking for an agent, but she thinks working on her own has helped her as an entrepreneur.

"We all have our niche as performers, and I strongly believe mine is my ability to make the music come alive in a performance," she says. "I'm likely to get bored before the audience and choose music accordingly."

Hudson is artistically restless, and she thinks that's an asset.

"I'm finding things that people relate to," she says. "I want to do opera in a way that's relevant to them, instead of dumbing it down and doing an Il Divo. I'm finding other ways to get it across to them."

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The Intercultural Music Initiative Concert Series presents soprano Marlissa Hudson in recital

Where • Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 826 Union Boulevard

When • 7 p.m. Friday

How much • $10 ($5 for students and children under 12)

More info • 314-367-8173 or 314-652-6800