All that jazz

Christian Century, March 18, 1998 by Martin E. Marty

The recent death of Pastor John Gensel sorrowed religious lovers of jazz, jazz lovers of religion, and lovers of religious jazz. Gensel had long held forth as a Pastor at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in New York, where he ministered to the jazz community. From Duke Ellington on down, or on over, the greats acknowledged' John as a pastor who cared for their souls, a comforter who preached at the funerals of their friends, and an impresario who opened St. Peter's and in any hearts to jazz in worship.

Genzel's death put me in mind of the role jazz has played in my life. Recently a Canadian radio show host asked someone who knew me what kind of music I like to help the producer choose music for the intervals between conversation. Not knowing whether the program was religious or secular, the respondent answered: "Oh, probably baroque sacred music or jazz." The piano jazz that I later mentioned--music of the Bill Evans or Lennie Tristano or Eliane Elias sorts--did not get used on the program. But the host asked me, "What is it about jazz and you theologians?" He had recently interviewed a distinguished and staid-seeming British evangelical who had requested Dixieland jazz for the same program. (He would; he's a conservative!)

I got to enjoy live jazz recently when a friend, attorney and my favorite composer of jazz music for worship, saxophonist Andrew Tecson, gathered Chicago's best jazz musicians for a golden anniversary evensong at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, Illinois. What is a jazz plug without a discography? The trumpeter and flugelhornist whom Tecson enlisted for that evensong, Bobby Lewis, has four compact disks on the Southport label (773-281-8510), including the recent Flugel Gourmet. Tecson also let us hear Howard Levy, by all accounts "the world's greatest jazz harmonica player--I sound like Gensel, who could never be less than hyperbolic about the musicians--playing his own Salvation and moving a jammed church full of solemn worshipers toward tears.

At other times Tecson has relied on Lawrence. Hobgood, who is featured as pianist on two Blue Note disks of jazz singer (and Grammy nominee) Kurt Elling. If Elling sometimes includes some absurdist theological-sounding scat sounds, they are in place. Kurt was a divinity school student before he changed worship venues. Speaking of scat, the best lilt since Ella belongs to Karrin Allyson, a preacher's kid, by the way. (Her CDs are available from Concord jazz, Inc., P.O. Box 845, Concord, CA 94522.)

What is it with theologians and jazz? Especially, why appreciate jazz in worship, alongside baroque, folk, Sacred Harp and southern harmony, and feel out of it when the market urges churches to use soft rock, light metal, whispered rap and, most of all, muffled praise song that sounds like soulless elevator music? Snobbery? Incomprehension? Taste?

It can't be because the origins of jazz are all that pure. We get reminded daily that this is music born in saloons and brothels and other low-life places. But when Tecson and Co. bring it into the sanctuary, they induce awe. Awe is where worship is born. And improvisation. Which is familiar in church, thanks to the work of the best organists. And jazz can erupt in joy. In the end, all worship, even that born with the blues, is celebrative. So we celebrate.