Jazz Players - How do you go about it..

delreds

Jazz - as a genre - really is about instrumentation and improv and really not about lyrics. So, how do you approach playing jazz in a church environ. Since, most often, special music is 'judged' by the lyrics.. there really is no indication regarding Jazz songs.. unless you give it a 'Christian - sounding' title.

Do any of you play jazz in a church environment? Special Music? Part of worship team? or what.

I'd be interested to hear about your experiences..

delreds

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Living Stones - a gospel blues band

matdvd

Hmmm, that IS interesting.

How 'bout it fellas?

jamesron41 · Lion Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 945 Location: Waco,TX

I have had little experience playing with the church. Moslty I have played some praise and worship music on occasion at some church functions. I need to get into it more. I just got a new Song book from Michael so now I plenty of stuff I can play. I need to start getting active in the church again.

ACfixer

Not being a big jazz fan, at least not modern jazz, I would have no clue. I do however love some of the old stuff like Armstrong, Basie, Ella... you know, the good stuff. Alot of the black (is it ok to say that?) jazz artists of the time were deeply rooted in gospel and I have put some Christian lyrics to Mac the Knife, it's ez, just replace "Mac the Knife" with "Jesus Christ" and the rest will fall into place. Also I have heard some of that guitar teacher Marc Seal's stuff. He is a Chrisitan and the name of his songs reflect it but they are instrumentals. He has a rocky/jazz kind of thing going on but he bases alot of his riffs loosely on some Christian hymns etc. You CAN hear it in his music and most any Chrisitan who has been around the church a while I think knows his music is to the glory of the Father. Try www.marcseal.com for a sample.

Michael D

There's an awesome guitar player at my church who occasionally plays soft, jazzy stuff (acoustic) for the ten minutes or so before the service starts. It's wonderful. Get's my soul in the praising God mode very quickly. He plays accompaniment during the worship songs also, but I especially like the jazzy guitar solos. Maybe in 20 years, with lots of practice, I'll be able to play like that - to the Father's glory!!

By the way, I really like your music too, and will download a bunch.

Mike

delreds

thanks for the replies.. Our church is heavily influenced by 'southern gospel' sometimes, I wonder if they think the 'Gaithers' weren't part of the original 12 apostles!

... So - needless to say, jazz doens't really come across very well.

I remember once I was playing for the evening service (accomp for evening worhship).. I start 'chording' the songs and the worship leader stops on a dime and looks right at me and says.. "too jazzy .. play power chords"..

... oh well..

[This message has been edited by delreds (edited May 02, 2002).]

matdvd

..at least you gave it a shot!

Sometimes ya have to push a little here and there to get people out of their ruts. Most churches have definite "ditches" they have dug musically and if you stray, some peoples feathers get ruffled.

Isn't in God's Word to "play a new song"???

Keep at it!!!

Sixstring · Kitten Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 140

matdvd: Amen! I say go for it!

I love playing jazz in church, but realize it depends on the church and the congregation. Our church has some very talented musicians and a fairly open attitude about music. Sometimes during offering we will just play a jazz instrumental. Just lay down a progression and jam on it.

Probably the best way to introduce jazz to the church is to do it as a special. Arrange or borrow and arrangement of a standard that has been jazzed up and perform it. That way it's not part of the song service and people won't feel like you're pushing it on them. The ones that appreciate it will let you know and you can go from there.

ACfixer

Man I wish that some of the guys I've played with would let me skate on a power chord. I hear the opposite- "Don't you know a Dmaj9dim4sus?" I just say, no but I have a distortion pedal, will that help?

delreds

quote:
Originally posted by ACfixer:
Man I wish that some of the guys I've played with would let me skate on a power chord. I hear the opposite- "Don't you know a Dmaj9dim4sus?" I just say, no but I have a distortion pedal, will that help?

The grass is always greener, hungh?? LOL

Bates15 · Moderator Joined: 19 Feb 2002 Posts: 1084

Well we do alot of jazzy stuff. We like to think of our selfs as multi musical guys. We start playing a song in one style and if it so worksout we'll play it in an other style during the song. We did some jazz fusion stuff for the dutch national TV. When we are out on the street playing we do all kinds of stuff including a lot of jazz.

Nate

Sixstring · Kitten Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 140

XtremeGodChaser · Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 9:22 am Post subject:

Hmmz my church...Basically we guyz over here in Malaysia will nv have as much as Xposure like u guyz have....and in my church there's this guitarist tht consider the best in my church...he's more into rock...and alternative..! so basically when he plays each time...the worship will sounds very alternative..like tht kind of Hillsong style...! others is kinda normal playin they know nothing bout guitaring and not willin to b Xpose..! So too bad...
For me i'm really lookin forward to b on schedule this december...i love all kinds of genre..but not heavy metal...! jazz,blues,soul,ballads,alternative,punk rock......and so on..would love to learn their techniques of playin too..! so hope u guyz could help me out !

Brian · Pit Bull Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 373

My church puts together Christian jazz/showtunes concerts and stage musical plays for the community with a 10-18 pc band and 18-24 voice voice choir. Just finished a run of 5 shows over 5 days at the city's 18,000 seat dome stadium for a Holiday Gift Festival to glorify Jesus in song. We'll do 1 more concert and 11 stage musical performances in November and December.

Ferrari 1 · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 12:38 pm Post subject:

Interesting topic. My personal experience is this; Berklee College of Music grad- guitar major. Played pro for 30 years, jazz and rock, now play only for the Lord. Recorded a P&W CD with my church last year. Keyboard player and I wrote a jazz instrumental ( along the lines of the Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra) and put in on the CD. The CD came out and resoundingly, everyone's favorite tune was the jazz instrumental. It even got alot of airplay on the big Christian radio station down here in south Florida. We got so much positive feedback that we are now in the mastering phase of an all original contemporary jazz CD, 4 vocal tunes, 5 instrumentals.

So, in my humble opinion, it's music that is written profoundly from the heart to bring honor and glory to God and it's working. Music doesn't need lyrics to be worshipful. God has ordained this project from the beginning, it is obvious. Now we just are praying that it will reach the seekers, and re-commit the saved.

The album should be released in about a month or so.
Just my 2 cents worth.