Duke Ellington's Second Sacred Concert - Jazz Vespers June 2025
Come join us for a soul-stirring evening at the American International Church as we celebrate the legendary Duke Ellington's Second Sacred Concert. Get ready for an evening that will uplift your spirits and soothe your soul.
The evening features a full jazz big band and a festival choir brought together from across our synod of the United Reformed Church. Scott Stoman will be conducting the service with a reflection from Rev. Jared Jaggers.
The service will also include readings of sacred writings and poetry, and a time of meditation or prayer. Our context is Christian, but the service is intended to be inspirational and reflective.
Jazz is open, fluid, and improvisational. Musicians reach out to each other and find new art and music in the ways that they play together. You could say the same about spirituality and faith. And so this service centres on the music with spiritual reflection.
What is Vespers? The word comes from the Latin for "evening" and it's simply an evening prayer service. We use the word because of the spiritual nature of the service and continuing the tradition of Jazz Vespers services started in New York City in the 1950s.
