This month, be sure to join us in-person on Sunday, October 20th, 2024 at 4:50pm when we begin our 2024-2025 Jazz Vespers series in our newly renovated St. James Lutheran Church building — our special guest musician for this live performance is Cheryl Alex on flute.
Musical accompaniment by Mike Horsfall on piano, Laurent Nickel on bass, and Tim Rap on drums. Valarie Brown is serving as cantor, and Scott Ellertson is guiding our liturgy.
Next month we invite you to attend again in our St. James sanctuary and we ask you to make a freewill donation (offering) to help support our musicians as we continue our 2024-2025 season — with a performance by our guest vocalist Della Simone — at 4:50pm on Sunday, November 17th, 2024. You can find the complete 2024-2025 Jazz Vespers guest artist roster further down on this webpage. Although we have resumed our St. James Jazz Vespers series in-person — please remember that you may also continue to enjoy our prior Jazz Vespers on video.
Unfortunately, we do not have a recording of our performance from October 15th, 2023. But you may now choose to listen below to the most recent recording of our Jazz Vespers Service from Sunday, September 15th, 2024. Click the link below to listen to this latest recording …
You may also continue to find links to our previous Jazz Vespers recordings by navigating to “Communications > Music” on the main navigation menu at the top of the page. Or you can click here to be linked directly to the “Music” page.
This 45 minute jazz musical setting of the Evening Prayer liturgy is held on the third Sunday of each month. Professional jazz musicians and vocalists lead this reflective service with scriptural reading, psalms, hymns, and prayer. Preludes and postludes from the broad jazz repertoire precede and follow the service.
Jazz Vespers on Sunday, October 20th at 4:50pm, features Cheryl Alex on flute …
Jazz Vespers is held every 3rd Sunday at 4:50pm. In February, 132 people gathered for Jazz Vespers. We were pleased to be a venue for the PDX Jazz Festival. KOIN News ran the story.
Flautist Cheryl Alex has been central among the region’s jazz community for over thirty years, appearing regularly and recording with luminaries such as Nancy King, Randy Porter, Leroy Vinegar, Lawrence Williams and most notably guitar wizard Jerry Hahn. At home with a wide range of styles, from straight-ahead bebop to tender ballads, Cheryl’s versatility shows a masterful command of her instruments (alto flute and concert C flute). Come hear her and the Mike Horsfall Trio on Sunday, October 20th.
Pre-Vespers music begins at 4:50pm. This marks the second Jazz Vespers of the 2024-25 season. You can find the complete Jazz Vespers guest roster further down on this webpage.
Other highlights – Scott Ellertson will guide our liturgy by creatively weaving the lyrics of a selected jazz song into his message. The congregation will be singing an original, jazz-influenced liturgy composed by Marguerite Luc. Valarie Brown will be our cantor. The Mike Horsfall Trio will include Laurent Nickel on bass, and Tim Rap on drums. We look forward to seeing you.
–Mike Horsfall, Director of Jazz
Be sure to join us for what’s sure to be a vibrant evening of music! The Vespers will be held in our St. James sanctuary. Pre-Vespers music begins at 4:50pm. Freewill offering. Join us after the service for an artist’s reception in the Pioneer Chapel at 6:00pm.
Cheryl is joined by our St. James house band: Mike Horsfall, piano and vibes; Laurent Nickel, bass; Tim Rap, drums; and Valarie Brown, cantor.
NOTE: This month — the Visual Artists’ Group presents an exhibition of photographs composed by Albert Alter, in the Pioneer Chapel — with an artist’s reception for this exhibition following Jazz Vespers at 6:00pm.
Next month’s featured guest: Join us as we continue our new 2024-2025 season of Jazz Vespers — with a performance by our guest vocalist Della Simone — at 4:50pm on Sunday, November 17th, 2024. You can find the new 2024-2025 Jazz Vespers guest artist roster listed below.
The St. James Jazz Vespers series is alive and well! Since the completion of construction — we are holding our services back in our newly renovated St. James Lutheran Church building — at 5:00pm every 3rd Sunday of the month, with the prelude music starting at 4:50pm. The service consists of an original jazz-tinged liturgy, composed by Marguerite Luc, that involves the congregation and the cantor accompanied by a jazz trio. The pastor’s message is linked to a chosen jazz tune, which is performed after the sermon. The service is punctuated by thematic jazz standards featuring a special musical guest.
St. James Jazz Vespers 2024-2025 Season …
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for our Jazz Vespers series. You won’t want to miss it!
**** The new 2024-2025 Jazz Vespers guest artist roster:
Sep. 15th, 2024 – Renato Caranto, tenor sax
Oct. 20th, 2024 – Cheryl Alex, flute
Nov. 17th, 2024 – Della Simone, voice
Dec. 15th, 2024 – Kerry Politzer, piano; Mike Horsfall, vibes
Jan. 19th, 2025 – Eddie Parente, violin
Feb. 16th, 2025 – Dan Balmer, guitar
Mar. 16th, 2025 – John Stowell, guitar
Apr. 20th, 2025 – Pete Petersen, tenor sax
May 18th, 2025 – John Moak, trombone
June 15th, 2025 – Haley Horsfall, voice & percussion
July 20th, 2025 – Dmitri Matheny, flugelhorn
Aug. 17th, 2025 – Mieke Bruggeman, baritone sax
Pre-Vespers music begins at 4:50pm. Freewill offering.
In addition to a new season, new artwork will be displayed on our posters, postcards, and bulletins. Artist Joel Nickel, who composed the collages used over the past several years, has composed a new piece Rise Up and Shine — displayed at the top of this webpage — that will be used in the design of the new posters and handouts.
NOTE: New “St. James Jazz Vespers – We’ll Be Together Again” CD Released!
The new CD, “St. James Jazz Vespers – We’ll Be Together Again”, has arrived! These musical highlights are a collection of tunes played during the pandemic shutdown from July 2020 to July 2021 by The Mike Horsfall Trio and guests of the St. James Jazz Vespers. You can purchase one for $20 at the St. James office. Enjoy!
NOTE: “Come Sunday – Jazz Standards from Jazz Vespers” CD is currently out of print.
The recording “Come Sunday” was jointly produced by St. James Lutheran and St. Luke’s Episcopal churches. The Mike Horsfall Trio, with Laurent Nickel on bass and Brent Follis on drums, is featured on the CD, along with some guest performers.
The St. James Jazz Vespers is held starting at 4:50pm every 3rd Sunday of the month. It is a welcoming, inclusive, meditative message, delivered in part by a beautiful, original liturgy, punctuated with select jazz standards throughout. The music is performed by the Mike Horsfall Trio, and features a special guest each month. All are welcome.
