And what a year it's going to be for the Sedona Jazz at the Church Sunset Concerts!
The first concerts happen in January, with the arrival of Jim Martinez & Laura Didier on January 23 and 24. Click HERE for more information about their two concerts - one a musical tribute to the music of Doris Day and the second a "down home and holy"Jazz Praise Concert!
For now, enjoy the video below of Jim playing at the Oscar Peterson tribute concert he and Laura did in Carmel, CA in September, 2007. And make a note that we'll be posting more videos of Jim and Laura, in order to acquaint you with their overflowing talent BEFORE their concerts in January!
The Christmas Eve Jazz mass was a "first of its kind" for our parish. And was it ever a blessing!
Vicki McDermitt, Russ Schmidt, Rob Moore and Dwight Kilian are all masterful musicians and gifted jazz artists, and when coupled with the meditation of Richard Parrish (with Russ, Dwight and Rob responding musically to his words throughout the meditation) it was truly a holy and thought-provoking experience for us all.
The church was packed, the congregation unanimous in its appreciation for the liturgy and music, God was glorified by prayer, word, liturgy and music, and the most Holy Sacrament received by the Faithful.
And yes, we've already begun making plans to have the Jazz Mass as a part of our annual Christmas Eve liturgies!
We've been bringing Jazz to the Church since January, 2009, and the series has been well received and attended.
Innumerable artist have already performed (Laura Didier, Jim Martinez, Bob Ravenscroft, Dwight Kilian, Rob Moore, Vicki McDermitt, Russ Schmidt, Billy Mitchell, Zirque Bonner, Renee Patrick, Steve Sandner, Steve Douglas, Adam Clark, et al) and many more are already scheduled for the future.
The concerts not only bring folk together in the beauty of our parish, but are also a fabulous way of celebrating God's gift to man of musical creativity.
- becoming a Patron or Benefactor -
If you believe the series to be a worthwhile endeavor, how about becoming a Patron or Benefactor of our concerts? In that way, we can have a few extraordinary concerts every so often - ones that, for a variety of reasons, may cost a lot more to present (musician's travel costs, et al).
Patronage costs $400 per season, and entitles the Patron to two reserved seat tickets at each concert and identification in the playbill for the entire season.
Benefaction is another way to support Jazz at the Church. Cost is $1,000 per season, and entitles the Benefactor to six reserved seat tickets for each concert during the entire season, together with identification in the concert playbills, also.
If you are interested in becoming a Patron or Benefactor, email us at jazz@episcopalnet.org or telephone the church at 928-282-7366 for more information.
Of course, the financial gifts of patronage and benefaction are both fully tax deductible!
Did you know that we start out Christmas with an early evening Jazz Mass? It's at five o'clock in the evening, and is the first of three Christ Masses we'll be celebrating.
HERE's the url for the Christmas masses, which also contains links for information on the musicians who will be participating - Vicki McDermitt, Russ Schmidt, Rob Moore and Dwight Kilian... all associated with the non-profit Music Serving the Word ministry of Carefree, Arizona.
If you're a jazz afficionado, this may be "The Christmas Event" for you!
And be sure to scroll through the other two masses we'll be celebrating for Christmas, as they are also GREAT events, and, along with the jazz mass, promise to be "full" experiences!
"Rob Moore grew up in Phoenix, AZ and began his musical career at nine, on the clarinet. He soon convinced his dad to take him down to the local drum store for lessons and before long Rob was driving everyone in the house crazy (including his grandma who would pretend like she was having seizures on her bed in order to get Rob to refrain from making so much noise) by practicing his drums all day long.
"During high school Rob continued to develop his musicianship by playing drums in the high school jazz band, in the Phoenix Musicians Union sponsored all-city jazz band "Young Sounds" and in the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks youth band, where he had a chance to bump elbows with then unknown singer/ songwriter Michelle Branch as well as many of prominent jazz artists such as Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, Chuck Mangione and Billy Mitchell. A man of many musical fronts, Rob was in the high school vocal ensemble, he played a leading role in Sondheims musical "Into the Woods", and took advantage of the Advanced Placement Music Theory course.
"It was easy to see that by the end of high school Rob was beginning to emerge as the musical force he's respected as today. When he chose to attend Arizona State Univeristy Rob was awarded the Jazz-Bird scholarship and chosen--as a Freshman--to play in the University's top Concert Jazz Band. This accomplishent earned him the opportunity to work with legends such as Doc Severinson and Gunther Schuller. While at ASU Rob also performed in various jazz combos, latin bands and percussion ensembles and studied with percussion Professor Dr. J.B. Smith and Jazz drummer Dom Moio.
"Throughout his college career, Rob continued to develop his musicianship playing countless performances throughout the Phoenix area, closely studying the notes of musical greats spanning all genres, and spending hours upon hours in 'the lonely box' (aka 'the wood shed' aka the practice room) practicing piano, marimba, snare drum and drumset. while in college Rob's CD player spent many a day spinning the sides of Radio Head, Bjork, D Angelo, Eliott Smith and The Roots.
"Currently Rob lives in Scottsdale and works all around the Phoenix area with various musical ensembles (to find out where Rob is playing next just check out the schedule). Rob is well-known for putting the sound of the group above the sound of the drums and as one of the world's most musical drummers, audience members of a Rob Moore concert have been heard uttering words to themselves such as, 'graceful, sensitive, tasteful.' "
(The above is from Rob's internet site, as linked below)
That's right! Our next concert is today, with the Vicki McDermitt Trio. Great musicians and a great evening await us, to be sure! Click on the names to read about each of the musicians...
Think about who you want to bring with you to this concert, and then buy your tickets ONLINE or at the door! We'll also be selling tickets at the church today during the noon hour, so...
General Admission: $10 ($15 at the door)
Reserved Seating: $15 ($20 at the door)
And don't forget your cameras, because this is a "Sunset Concert," and it looks as though we are probably going to have an absolutely magnificent sunset right about the time we take a break!
Great jazz, a heavenly setting, and all in this most holy place we call Saint Luke's Church! It can't get much better than that, eh???!!!!
Dwight Kilian of Phoenix, Arizona, is an extraordinary bassist and the Executive Director of Music Serving the Word ministries, located in Carefree, Arizona.
Dwight grew up in Kansas, the "heartland" of America. He started his musical journey by playing guitar, which led to tuba and finally to electric and acoustic bass.
He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Wichita State University in 1986. From 1982 to 1988, Kilian was a "Kansas Jazz Artist in Residence" and a member of the "Kansas Touring Arts". He also taught jazz bass at WSU, Bethel College, and Hutchinson Community College. In 1988, he moved to Denver, freelancing with local and national artists.
Dwight has performed with many top jazz artists such as Sheila Jordan, Art Lande, Herbie Mann, Teddy Edwards, Mark Murphy, Ernie Watts, Richie Cole, Mose Allison, Myra Melford, Jerry Hahn, Milcho Leviev, Claudio Slon, Paul McCandless, Nick Brignola, Lee Konitz, Ken Peplowski, Bob Florence, Lennie Niehaus, and Marvin Stamm.
He has also performed at many of the major jazz festivals in the Midwest and also at the Holland Blues Festival. Kilian relocated to Phoenix in November of 1998, as bassist with the Discovery Jazz Trio at The Boulders Resort in Carefree, AZ for six years.
Currently freeelancing throughout the Valley performing with some of the area's top jazz musicians, his festival performances while living in Arizona include: 1999 Wichita Jazz Festival, Carefree Music Festival from 2003 to 2007, and the Prescott Jazz Summit from 2003 to 2006. While in the valley he's taught Jazz Bass at Glendale Community College, Mesa Community College, and Arizona State University from 1999 to 2006.
In 2005, Kilian became Executive Director of Music Serving the Word Ministries and the bassist for The Inner Journeys Trio led by pianist Bob Ravenscroft. He also co-leads a concert series in Glendale at New Hope Covenant Church called Jazz For The Soul, held the second Sunday of each month.
Dwight was with us for the October Inner Journeys Trio concert, he rejoined us for both the Vicki McDermitt Concert on November 21st and the Christmas Eve Jazz Mass, also, both in 2009
Coming to us for the first time through the Sunset Concert on November 21, 2009, Jazz pianist Russell Schmidt holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He formally served as the Artistic Director of the Toledo Jazz Orchestra.
As a jazz performer, Russ has worked with such artists as Carl Allen, Eddie Daniels, Tim Hagans, John Hollenbeck, Mark Murphy, Gerry Mulligan, Dick Oatts, Arturo Sandoval, and Clark Terry. He has recorded with Joe Lovano, Vicki McDermitt, Bob Sneider, the Birch Creek Jazz Band, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and the Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra, among others.
Season of Change,his critically acclaimed debut recording as a leader, was released last year on the Amp Recordings label. [click here for a review if the CD]
In addition to his performances in jazz settings, Schmidt has served as keyboard soloist with more than 30 professional orchestras, including performances with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and with the San Francisco Symphony.
Active as a jazz educator, he presently directs the Jazz String Quartet Program at the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He has previously served on the jazz faculties of Bowling Green State University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Arizona State University, and the Eastman School of Music.
A talented composer and arranger, he has written for artists as wide-ranging as jazz saxophonists Bob Berg and Michael Brecker, the Ying String Quartet, and the chamber music group Rhythm & Brass.
This is the advertisement we had back in the late 1980's and then again in the 2008 Sedona Jazz on the Rocks festival playbill. And it's true, you know!!
Below is the sermon that was referenced in the ad - although by the time we posted the video we had renamed it as "Just Do The Right Ones!"
In any event, enjoy it, and hang in there 'til the end of the video, as there's a GREAT piece played by Jack Sheldon that's the closer!
"Vicki McDermitt is a respected artist with a reputation for handling a broad variety of musical styles. Her career began at an early age, singing in church, and then moving early on into the jazz arena, where she has had the privilege of working with some of the country’s top musicians. Living in LA she worked as a session singer and was heavily involved in musical production work for television.
"In addition to her busy music and ministry schedule, Vicki also serves as staff vocalist at Mayo hospital where she offers “private in-room accapella” concerts to the most seriously ill. “I believe all musical sounds are created by God and should be performed in praise to Him”, says McDermitt. This belief and passion is evident wherever – and whenever – Vicki sings.
"Whether she is on a jazz concert stage, ministering at women’s conferences, singing in local church settings, or offering her voice to a patient who needs hope and assurance… people experience a quality of excellence that radiates warmth, love, joy and enthusiasm.
"'My calling is to use music to remind others of the relentless love of God,' Vicki says. 'The opening can be as subtle as a jazz ballad, or as direct as a hymn of the church. I’m always looking for an appropriate way to plant the reminder that no matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you’ve been, God is seeking you out for relationship. Music is the gift that breaks down walls and opens the heart to hear the words. The result is indescribable joy.'
"As a member of Music Serving the Word Ministries team, Vicki often performs with one of our ensembles, as well as offering individual jazz and/or gospel concerts, and other ministry venues."
Vicki's album - "Vicki McDermitt: Jazz for the Soul" - is a great CD, and can be obtained through the Music Serving the Word website, as linked above. Vicki will rejoin us for the Christmas Eve Jazz Mass at the church, too, bringing with her Russ Schmidt on piano, Dwight Kilian on bass and Rob Moore on drums.
And, in fact, watch for her return in the future, as we love her and she loves us!!!
We've added a new and beautiful dimension to the Sedona Jazz at the Church series.
What, pray tell, is that?
The splashing of the setting sun on the red rocks that surround our parish church. And since we're going to do that for most all of our upcoming concerts, from now on we'll be billing the series as the Sedona Jazz at the Church Sunset Concerts.
The concerts will start in the late afternoon, so as to enable participants to enjoy the setting sun during the concert's break.
So, bring a friend, a hunger for good music and your camera, and we know you'll have a magnificent time! AND you and yours can even go out for a night's dinner following our concert!!
Click HERE to get your tickets for the upcoming event, and to find out more about the sunrise and sunsets at Saint Luke's - times, et al - click HERE.
Today we've posted information on two upcoming events - (1) the November and December Jazz happenings for our "Sedona Jazz at The Church" concert series, and (2) the schedule for the Christ Masses that will take place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The jazz page update tells of the "Sunset Concert" which we will be having on November 21 with the Vicki McDermitt Trio, and there's also some news on the 2010 calendar - specifically Jim Martinez & Laura Didier's two concert event on January 17th and 18th.
Regarding Christmas, we've posted a page with the particulars of our three Christ Masses. On Christmas Eve there will be an early evening mass at 5pm, which will include a jazz quartet, a visit by a shepherd, and jazz accompaniments of the carols.
Following that liturgy, the Solemn High Christ Mass - the principal service for Christmas - will begin at 8:30 pm, and on Christmas Day a 10 am Christmas Day Mass will also be celebrated.
We've put up a new page regarding the beautiful scenery around our parish. The page gives a lot of good information that will help visitors come at the right times of the day in order to take magnificently beautiful pictures here at the church.
If you've friends who will be coming into town on holiday, direct them to the page, as we've included a link to a site which gives the daily sunrise and sunset times in our unique town!
Saturday evening's concert was absolutely grand! The extremely gifted trio of Bob Ravenscroft on piano, Rob Moore on drums and Dwight Kilian on bass carried everyone present into a state of grace-filled joy.
The evening was billed as a tribute to the music of Bill Evans, and yet it was much more than that.
Compositions both "by" and "played by" Evans were certainly a part of the evening ("Letter to Evan," "Beautiful Love," "Periscope," "Gloria's Step," "I hear a Rhapsody," and "Emily" were but a few of the pieces offered); however, the trio used them all as a "springboard" for their own creativity, which flowed from them all night long.
For this writer, anyway, Bob Ravenscroft's playing of "Who Can I Turn To?" was a high point of the evening.
Mario Barnabe teamed up with the group as videographer, splashing his creativity with visual effects throughout the night's music. On one piece his visuals formed the basis for a free form piece by the trio which was truly extraordinary.
To see and hear the interplay between jazz musicians, and then to add the "communications" between musician and videographer is to witness God's gift of creativity to His creation - man.
An evening of fullness, from four men who are both blessed with musical artistry and part of Music Serving the Word Ministriesof Carefree, Arizona. What more could one hope for?!?!
Well, we did more, as we all adjourned to the Blue Moon Cafe for dinner! What a grand night, to say the least!
Who are the musicians that will be here at the Church Saturday night?
Well, they are a talented and focused group of men, to say the least! Exceptionally gifted as individual jazz artists, they also share a unique experience in an endeavor called "Music Serving the Word."
What is that? Their mission statement puts it succinctly, "Music Serving the Word Ministries exists to worship God through music and art forms that serve His Word."
Music Serving the Word's WEBSITE contains a plethora of information, covering the various ministries that they offer - Sacred Music Concerts, Sanctuary Jazz, Jazz in Sacred Spaces, Poetry Serving the Word, Drama Serving the Word, Media Serving the Word, Reflections, and Vicki McDermitt.
What do those things mean, specifically? Check out their website to find out, and be sure to pick up your tickets for the concert by Inner Journeys - with Bob Ravenscroft on Piano, Dwight Kilian on Bass, Rob Moore on the Drums, and Mario Barnabe's visual imagery improvisations!
It WILL be a truly unique and blessed evening at Saint Luke's!!
Tickets for next Saturday's concert with Inner Journeys Trio (Bob Ravenscroft, Piano; Dwight Kilian, Bass; Rob Moore, Drums) are on sale now, and can be purchased online on the JAZZ PAGE.
For more information on the trio, consult the above link, and also check out the website Music Serving the Word, as ALL the members of trio are involved in that ministry.
And for future reference, on the Sunday before our concerts, we always have tickets available at the Church, and those who attend the Masses that day can get a 10% discount if they buy their tickets after the services!!! How benevolently cool can you get, eh?
Tickets are also available at the Church this week, Monday through Friday, from 10:00 am until 12 Noon.
On Saturday, October 17, our Sedona Jazz at the Church concert series hosts the Phoenix Jazz trio "Inner Journeys," with Bob Ravenscroft on Piano, Dwight Kilian on Bass and Rob Moore playing the drums. (Shown in the picture, from Left to Right, is Rob Moore, Bob Ravenscroft and Dwight Kilian)
The concert, billed as “Celebrating the Music of Bill Evans,” is a tribute to the great jazz pianist and composer that will both reinterpret the legend’s classics and extend his influence to the new works of the Inner Journeys Trio.
The evening will not only include excellent jazz improvisation by the three gifted Phoenix musicians, but will also present the creativeness of a masterfully gifted fourth member - videographer and visual improviser Mario Barnabe, whose projected images will inspire both listeners and musicians to further experience and innovation.
The evening’s festivities begin at 7 pm, with a half hour “Meet the Musicians” gathering, followed by the concert, which will begin at 7:30 pm.
Tickets are available ONLINE HERE and also at the church on Sunday morning, or during the week of the concert on Monday - Friday, from 10:00 am - noon.
REMEMBER: don't put off getting your tickets, as seating is limited and the demand is GREAT!
Have you marked your calendar for our two concerts in September?
They'll take place the last weekend of the month, on Friday and Saturday evenings, September 25 & 26.
Renee Patrick and Billy Mitchell headline the two nights, and it promises to be a GREAT time for all who attend! Click HERE for details and tickets.
And, as a musical "warm-up," consider the Jazz on the Rocks day concert the weekend before - a free event up on the Sedona airport mesa, billed as "Music on the Mesa - A Bridge to Jazz on the Rocks!" For details of that gathering, click HERE.
Finally, and as a musical treat, here's Billy with his "The Billy Mitchell Group" at Levitt Pavilion Summer Concert Series-2008, featuring Munyungo Jackson on "Barimbau"
We've entered the 21st Century, electronically speaking. What's that mean? You can now purchase our Sedona Jazz at the Church tickets online!!! Wonder of wonders, eh?
Yes, I know, we started out with all of the concerts being FREE, so what's up?
The reason for the change is simple: we've expanded our artists to include innumerable folk from out of town and out of state, we've had to revisit that "free" beginning and now charge admission to the concerts (wait 'til you hear who's coming next year... we'll tell you at our September concerts!!!).
Even with our having to charge, we're still probably the least expensive venue for Jazz in town... and, without a doubt, the prettiest!!!
So, with that as the background, each concert's tickets will be sold both online (picked up at "Will Call" the day of the Concert) and also at Saint Luke's on any Sunday during the month that the specific concert takes place.
And if you want to pick up your tickets on another day during the week, call the church and talk with me and I'll make arrangements for you to do so.
And please remember: since we do our concerts in the Church, our venue is not only beautiful, awe inspiring and intimate, it's also "limited" in space: so be sure to secure your tickets as soon as possible!!
We've made two changes regarding our Jazz at the Church Concert series, so be sure to check it out on the HOME PAGE of Sedona Jazz at the Church for the details.
First of all, we've moved much of our information onto other pages, leaving the home page of Jazz at the Church dealing solely with the current month's Concert(s).
Second, we've come to the point of having to "ticket" our concerts. Therefore, you can now secure tickets for the concerts both online and at Saint Luke's Church. The necessity for this change is covered on the page entitled "Background and history of Sedona Jazz at the Church Concerts."
So, with these posted changes/additions we now look forward to this month's two concerts - by Renee Patrick and Billy Mitchell.
Jim has released the 4th in a series of Jazz Praise CDs. The music was recorded at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival a few years ago, and the music includes musicians bassist Christian McBride, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, together with vocalists Dee Daniels and Julia Dollson and guitarist John Stowell.
The music is all GREAT, and includes "Holy, Holy Holy," "The Good News Blues," "Fairest Lord Jesus," "How Great Thou Art," "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," and nine other great pieces.
And don't forget that he and Laura Didier will be with us in January 2010, for their "Tribute to Doris Day" concert - a fabulous kick-off for the new year of our"Sedona Jazz at The Church" concert series, eh?
