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Heaven in a Nightclub
25th January 2009
Even our high expectations were exceeded at the sold-out concert Sunday 25th January with Prof. Bill Edgar and the band here in Cambridge. Emmanuel College was a perfect setting for this truly memorable, enlightening and uplifting event as Bill Edgar (piano), Ruth Naomi Floyd (vocalist) and Adaryll Jordan (saxophone) combined great music and Bill’s lucid commentary to shed light on the spiritual roots of jazz. Jordan’s soulful sax and Bill’s masterful keyboard work perfectly complemented Ruth’s extraordinary performance. In the words of one attendee:
'...her voice was rich, earthy, passionate with a huge emotional range... anguish, joy, despair, ... Her singing gripped me and challenged me ...dared me to connect with the pain - and hope - of the African slaves'.
At the end of the encore, the audience of enthusiasts and newcomers to jazz left wanting still more. The Q&A was extremely helpful in providing opportunities for a variety of questions which the band addressed most competently. Cambridge would love to have them back again!'
You can listen to the excellent album 'Heaven in a Night Club' at
www.monergism.com (free streaming)
or download it in iTunes for £7.99
Many apologies if you were
unable to get a ticket
Here’s what the band say about this event:
"Our philosophy is that jazz ought to entertain, but that its background is in the spiritual experience of African-American people, reared in slavery and nurtured on the Gospel message. It carries the twin themes of suffering and hope, so characteristic of Black culture. Specifically, we take the audience through some of the history of African-American music, both sacred and secular, mixing narrative with music. We outline the problem of finding spiritual roots in the music, and then go on to explore specific genres, including ragtime, blues, spirituals, funeral bands, and so on."
The band, on tour from the USA, are Dr William Edgar (pianist, with a degree in Music from Harvard who plays with a professional jazz band, and professor of apologetics), Ruth Naomi Floyd (vocalist, composer, music teacher and lecturer) and Adaryll Jordan (saxophonist, pastor and professional musician).
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