NEWS : Sanctuary Jazz update

January 3, 2002

Greetings,

I went to Southern CA a few months ago with Pastor Eric Elnes and offered several worship services of the Studio. The Studio is Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ's "contemporary" multimedia service that features real jazz music. I hired local LA musicians David Hocker (drums) and Jeff D'Angelo (bass) to play with me. They're "top drawer" players in the LA area that I have known for sometime and have played with before . It was great and once again *underscores the point of using jazz musicians for church services.* They are real pros and fit in beautifully.

Sanctuary Jazz Music Ministry is up and running full blast. As I mentioned previously, we have obtained funding for the first year. I really appreciated your comments and suggestions and will take them to heart. In fact, as I write this, I am well into the first 1/3 of a new jazz hymnal that will be available in the Spring.

I recently finished a new collection of jazz keyboard arrangements of spirituals for Morningstar Music Publishers and this collection should be available sometime this Spring. The focus of this collection is the "groove". The arrangements are fun to play and if your internal clock is running, you should be swinging when you play them.

We'll begin recording a new CD of original religious songs this month. When the recording project is completed, we will make the CD available as well as the arrangements of the music so that you can play them in your churches.

Eric Elnes and I will be traveling to Princeton in April to do the Studio there. We should be in residence for several days beginning April 28.

Had an interesting meditative moment recently while contemplating how God's grace is passed along and is never depleted. I began to think of digital information such as used in the recording process and how no matter how many times you copy the information, it never loses any quality. The 100th generation is as pure as the master. Grace is the same.

In light of the terrible things that have happened on 9/11, this promises to be a terrific year. I know the Lord has great things in store for all of us.

Peace and God's Blessings to all -