Jazz and the gospel truth have permeated the spiritual walls of St. Peter’s Church since Pastor John Garcia Gensel founded the jazz ministry in 1964. He dubbed New York City’s jazz community as his “Night Flock.” His friend and collaborator, Duke Ellington, who on occasion performed at the church, dedicated his composition “The Shepherd Who Watches over the Night Flock” to Gensel in honor of his ministry.
“The first church of jazz,” as it is known, continued after Gensel’s retirement, thanks to the leadership of Jazz Pastor Emeritus Dale R. Lind and jazz musicians who called Saint Peter’s their parish. The jazz ministry continues with its “Jazz on the Plaza,” held in the public outdoor plaza at 601 Lexington Avenue (between 53rd and 54th Streets) every Thursday from 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m.; free to the public now through September 25.
On July 31, Jazz on the Plaza welcomes back the Arturo O’Farrill Quintet; on Aug. 7, the trumpeter/flugelhornist and composer Jonathan Saraga appears (he has worked with such artists as Orrin Evans, Tyshawn Sorey, and Samuel Torres). On Aug. 14, catch the inventive drummer Marcus Gilmore (since his teen years touring with Clarke Terry, he has been in the forefront of this jazz artform); on Aug. 21, welcome the multi-woodwind instrumentalist Jasper Shogo Dutz Quartet, followed on Aug. 28 by violinist and erhu player (Chinese two-stringed instrument) Meg Okura. In New York City, she leads the Pan Asian Chamber Jazz ensemble and is also a member of Pharaoh’s Daughter.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert may be moved indoors to the Sanctuary of Saint Peter’s Church. For more information, visit the website saintpeters.org.
The alto saxophonist and composer Donald Harrison recently hit the Birdland jazz club like a wild whirlwind. During his five-night engagement, audiences were anchored to hard-hitting rhythms and were movin’, groovin’, and clappin’ to his interpretations of James Brown funk, hip-hop, and Jimmie Lunceford swing, even showing off some Godfather of Soul dance steps.
What a jazz musician! An NEA Jazz Master really got down like that? Yes, he did — to a sold-out audience; there wasn’t a spare seat in the house. I was stashed in the far-deep-right corner behind the bar, sitting next to a group of young music students who enjoyed Harrison’s captivating journey. The jazz police might be upset over such goings-on, but the paying audience offered him two standing ovations.
Harrison has created an enthralling voyage where he explains and plays the sounds of ragtime from the rhythms of Louis Armstrong to Sidney Bechet, connecting to the swing era of Count Basie, to Bebop Charlie Parker, to the innovations of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey (he played and recorded with Blakey). “I wanted to play like Miles on alto sax, so I stole some of his stuff,” laughed Harrison as the band broke into Miles’s “Bye Bye Blackbird.”
The saxophonist’s journey included some of his own originals, as well as his creative concept of Nouveau Swing (1997), a rhythmic blend of Black music. His longtime quartet featured pianist Dan Kaufman, bassist Nori Naraoka, and drummer Joe Dyson (a former student of Harrison as an adolescent). Their combined creative sounds were an assortment of spicy New Orleans music gumbo coming from all directions.
The NEA Jazz Master took time to explain the significance of jazz and its connecting roots, adding his native New Orleans history and its second-line culture. Audiences, particularly those who aren’t familiar with the jazz art form, leave his performance with new insight.
The Jazz Gallery (1158 Broadway) is known for introducing imaginative young artists who play in and out of the music. On Aug. 6, for one night only, they will bring guitarist and composer Mwanzi Harriott to the stage for two shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Harriott will be joined by a vibrant ensemble featuring alto saxophonist Kevin Oliver Jr., trumpeter Robert Vega, bassist Conway Campbell, drummer Gary Jones, and vibraphonist Luke Glavanovits. His absorbing self-styled compositions are ahead of the traditional jazz curve — his music is a unique mixture of colorful influences of the African Diaspora. Visit jazzgallery.org for more info.