“My hope was to be comprehensive and to pay respect to the natural touch points between all of these Western spiritual traditions and jazz,” said Wynton Marsalis, managing and artistic director for Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Because our music comes out of the church.”
Along with his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, renowned choir director Damien Sneed and the 70-piece Chorale Le Chateau, Marsalis will present Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration Friday, October 18 at The Touhill Performing Arts Center.
Jazz St. Louis will welcome the show here as it hits the road throughout the month of October. Marsalis was eager to point out that St. Louis’ own David Steward helped make the entire national venture possible by way of the Steward Family Foundation.
“I knew he was a man of faith,” Marsalis said of Steward. “His generosity has made it possible for us to go out there, and it makes us proud to have an African-American sponsor for something of this magnitude.”
The Steward Family Foundation shares lead sponsorship recognition along with Ray and Barbara Dalio, with additional support provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
“The Steward Family Foundation and World Wide Technology are proud to support Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration and Wynton Marsalis’ efforts to bring the rich history of gospel and jazz to a wider audience across the United States, including young people and underserved communities,” David Steward said.
Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration employs different aspects of African-American music to evoke the emotional states one experiences in worship.
“Some pieces are very meditative and introspective. Others are extremely joyful and celebratory,” Marsalis said. “The piece is trying to convey the range that’s possible within the music of worship.”
Marsalis was commissioned by the legendary Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the church back in 2008.
“My intention was to come up with something sophisticated, with a deep emotional value and with the words basic enough to understand,” Marsalis said.
“Because the point of Mass is to show that everyone has a place in the house of God. I was trying to be true to the Mass and also have it be entertaining – something that has such a range of things that someone could sit down for two hours and be nourished and entertained.”
The end result has traveled far beyond the walls of the church for which it was created. This production is the largest tour undertaking since Marsalis helped found what would evolve into Jazz at Lincoln Center more than 25 years ago. An educational component – including vocal workshops by artist and educator Karla Scott – is also an integral element of the 16-city tour.
“It’s something that you have to experience,” Marsalis said.
Four shows into the tour, Marsalis said, the reception has been good and people have been moved by it.
“People are leaving uplifted, and that’s what I want them to experience most from this piece,” Marsalis said. “I mainly want them to walk away feeling like we are all out here together and there is a oneness to our experience on earth as human beings – and see the beauty of the spiritual aspect of that.”
Jazz St. Louis will present “Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration” feat. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Chorale Le Chateau 8 p.m. Friday, October 18 at The Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus. For more information, call (314) 516-4949 or visit www.touhill.org.
