Alexandra Hudson: All Shades, All Hues, All Blues

Alexandra Hudson

3/20/16

JRN  101 

All Shades, All Hues, All Blues — Miles Davis

BROCKTON — The pianist, John Clemonts of High Park, closed his eyes as his hands flew across the keys of the piano, opening them only to coordinate a beat with the drummer. 

The bassist, Keala Kaumeheiwa of Weymouth, had a faraway look in his eyes, his body movement matching the rhythm of his instrument.                                

This rendition of “All Blues” by Miles Davis was almost entirely improvised. None of the musicians read music during the service and the only information they revealed was the title and the artist.                   

“We read the material maybe once, and use it as inspiration to create our own flare,” Clemonts said. 

Every Sunday at 8 a.m. the Messiah Baptist Church, at 80 Legion Parkway, holds Jazz worship services for the community.                                                              

Kaumeheiwa said the three of them have only been playing together for two years but individually they have always harbored a deep love of Jazz music. 

The origins of Jazz can be traced back almost a hundred years, but only truly emerged as the groundbreaking genre from African American communities in New Orleans at the turn of the twentieth century.   

Jazz is difficult to define as it incorporates many different types of music and uses improvisation, poly-rhythms, syncopation, and the swing note. It includes European harmony, American popular music, the brass band tradition, blue notes and ragtime.

Deacon Ada Riggins of Boston has been at Messiah Baptist for 10 years and said the program was inspired by the Jazz Worship at Old South Church in Boston located at the corner of Dartmouth and Boylston Streets.  

“Rev. Michael Walker had a vision and talked about putting together a jazz worship service,” Riggins said. “The church committee visited Old South Church and collaborated with their music director to develop a jazz service with similar flare and harmony.”       
In the early beginnings of the program, the church committee would choose monthly themes for the services such as compassion, hope, or justice. 

“We needed to differentiate the jazz worship services from regular services,” Riggins said. 

She said a more inclusive and casual atmosphere is what makes the jazz worship services different and important to the community.

During the service Riggins spoke during “meditation” which serves as an opportunity to allow people to think as citizens. 

“Soul, joyful, jazzy music,” she said. “Practice compassion. Helping the world to wanting trouble is often like a switch on a railroad track.It is an itch between a track and smooth prosperity.”