February 18, 2018
Christ Lutheran Church, Hellertown, Pa.
10:45am Service
https://www.christlutheranhellertown.org
Of all the musical offerings that I am a part of, the one that is the most rewarding is my sacred big band. The ensemble is a 17pc. band which plays sacred songs and hymns but in a swing and jazzy setting. There is nothing as great and awesome as the sound of a big band performing in church. The oddity of it alone makes it a must see for anyone. But, the experience of hearing such a sound is what makes it so great. Yes, it can be a bit loud at times. But, what would you expect from 17 musicians performing in a church? However, because of the style of the music, the volume never becomes an issue. When directing the group, it is always so rewarding for me to turn to the audience and see the enjoyment on their faces as they hear their favorite hymns played in a jazz setting. For many churches, music plays a vital part of their Sunday service. Whether it is an organ, praise band or even just a piano, they lead in song and help to give praise to the Lord. The Sacred Big Band was formed in 2011 after I felt led to begin a new ensemble which could take the love for the Lord and my faith and pair that with the swing band. It was and still is a great experience for me to direct this group. The arrangements are terrific and everyone realizes this is such a unique ensemble that it is hard not to experience joy. Unfortunately, due to space constraints, it is not easy for the band to perform in many churches. It seems finding enough space to adequately fit us in is a key issue. The churches that I talk to love the idea and wish we could schedule a performance. But, when our next conversation covers logistics, it can tend to be a deal breaker. I wish we could play every Sunday somewhere. But, it is just not possible.
With the declining number of churches to perform in and the opportunities becoming fewer, I realized that if I wanted to keep this moving forward, I needed to be pro-active to their concerns and find a way to be more feasible to church facilities and schedules. So, it is with great excitement and joy that I announce that we now have 7 pc. Sacred praise band that is about to start performing in churches. The band, comprised of horns, solid rhythm and great vocals will feature a blended style of favorite hymns as well as contemporary praise and worship favorites. Many churches with blended services may have a praise band already, but, this ensemble combines the best of traditional, contemporary and jazz all in one! We have been working had to compile music and arrangements and are ready to perform. Merging styles such as, rhythm and blues, Latin, contemporary and soulful jazz together, our group is ready to spread Praise wherever we go. I am excited to announce that our first performance is set for Sunday, February 18, 2018 at the Christ Lutheran Church in Hellertown, Pa. The service is at 10:45am and we welcome you to praise the Lord with us!
I have had the privilege to perform in the church the past two years with Ken Brader and the Holiday Brass Quartet. I have always been impressed with the musical direction and the planning of their music schedule. They do not take a break in June but rather schedule a variety of groups and performers all summer long to provide spiritual renewal. The music department is in very capable hands led by Steve Wysocki, a very talented organist and educator. Steve clearly has a vision and desire to bring the congregation more diverse music and opportunity for worship. I have always enjoyed my time playing for this church. Whenever the quartet has played, they are always so welcoming and excited to hear us. They are an active church and always seeking the best for their congregation.I am very much looking forward to our debut performance and am glad that it can be at such a great church like Christ Lutheran. I welcome everyone to our debut and hope you can come. It should be a great time and. The church is located at 69 Main Street, Hellertown, PA 18055. It is very easy to get to. Take Route 78 to Exit 67 and proceed south on Route 412 for about 2 miles. The church will be on your left hand side across from a used car dealer. It is that easy. If you have any questions or need more info, please call me and I will be able to help you out. I can be reached at 908-619-4502.
We would love to see you on Sunday, February 18th at 10:45am. If you can’t make it, I will blog after and hopefully have some video clips to share with you.
Blessings to all of you!!
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