Jazz Worship — Sunday, February 18, 2024 - Greater Allen A.M.E. Church

Jazz Worship — Sunday, February 18, 2024

Sunday, February 18, 2024 saw us raising the rafters of Allen Chapel with the melodies and improvisations of America’s original art form: Jazz.

The music of Count Basie, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Kenny Rittenhouse and others punctuated the Gospel message with an urgency, creativity and tenderness that is often relegated to smoky clubs and bars like the Blue Note, Birdland or the Village Vanguard.

A sextet of supremely talented professional jazz musicians — hailing from New York City to Washington DC to Lynchburg to Harrisonburg to Staunton — ushered in a spirit of renewal and fellowship in the holiest of settings.

“My music is the spiritual expression of what I am: my faith, my knowledge, my being… When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.” — JOHN COLTRANE

Jazz Worship 2024 Photos by Pat Jarrett

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Listen to a podcast with Rev. Scott discussing Jazz Worship at Allen Chapel

Our Harrisonburg friends welcomed our afternoon reprise performance!

For the second year in a row, we presented a February 18th afternoon reprise of most of the music of Jazz Worship at Allen Chapel at a special Black History Month event in Harrisonburg. Joining the Time Stamp Jazz Sextet was Dr. Joanne Gabbin, founding director emeritus of the Furious Flower Poetry Center and Dr. Edward Scott, who presented poetry and stories that tie into the music with historical context and artistic illumination.

This 90-minute, non-religious public performance was presented free of charge and was held held in the auditorium of Eastern Mennonite School, 801 Parkwood Drive, Harrisonburg (near EMU).

This event was supported by grants from the Arts Council of the Valley, Eastern Mennonite School and RobertMottDesigns.com.