| I. Jazz Worship |
A
long remembered spirit filled service
Every jazz worship service is uniquely tailored to a
particular church's traditions including hymn singing (with jazz accompaniment), readings,
prayer and communion if desired. Often, in lieu of a sermon, Sowash performs hymns and
spirituals on solo piano (or with his jazz trio or quintet) interspersed with
inspirational commentary using inclusive language. Other possibilities include jazz
vespers, collaborations with choirs, readings interspersed with jazz-assisted meditation
periods... The possibilities are endless but the goal is always to create a worship
experience with a music emphasis that is welcoming, participatory and accessible to
all.
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The Bradley Sowash Quintet leading
worship
Listen to
"Doxology" live
Listen to "Amen, Amen" live
"It's hard to imagine why any congregation
wouldn't want to make room for Sowash's music... It swings without being irreverent, it's
reverent without being cloying, and it's moving without being mushy." - Steve
Penhollow, Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, IN
Artist's Fees 
Contact |
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| II.Church Concerts |
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III. Church Gatherings
Conferences, Meetings, Retreats |
A. Guest Speaker
A warm and articulate speaker, Sowash’s motivational topics include Discovering
Your Personal Ministry, How To Organize A Jazz Worship Service, The Role of the Arts in
Worship, America’s Musical Melting Pot and Wherever Two Are Gathered
focusing on alternative worship strategies.
Speaking Options |
Plenary speaker at the
Ohio Council of Churches
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B. Workshops
Sowash's hands-on workshops on the liturgical arts, alternative worship
strategies and church musician development make engaging additions to programming for
retreats and gatherings. Participants sing, move, clap, play music, create visual art
and share their ideas.
Workshop Details |
Lakeside Methodist
Conference Center
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C. Worship Leader
Working in collaboration with worship planners, Sowash delights in designing and leading
innovative worship services. Attendees leave with new ideas about enhancing their
home worship services including using music beyond the hymnal and new thinking about the
possibilities of visual art.
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United Church of Christ Ohio
Conference
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D. After Hours Concert:
A concert of jazz hymns and spirituals provides a perfect ending for conference
participants after a busy day of networking. |
Bradley Sowash Sextet in concert
Listen
to live excerpt 
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Why Jazz Belongs In Worship - by Bradley
Sowash
(Reprinted from Presbyterians Today, September
2003) |
- Jazz is multi-cultural and inclusive - Jazz was
born in America when the harmonic and melodically based music of European colonists
blended with African rhythms preserved by slaves. Jazz continues to be enjoyed by people
of diverse backgrounds.
- Jazz is indigenous but universal - Jazz is indigenous
to America, unlike the European musical imports featured in much of U.S. Christian
worship. It is also enjoyed worldwide. Similarly, when we gather together to worship
locally, we simultaneously participate in a worldwide Christian body.
- Jazz involves cooperation - Each musician both
supports his/her colleagues and work as a soloist. Listeners inspire the music through
their reactions. Church life exemplifies similar cooperation.
- Jazz makes for excellent outreach – Many
churches have discovered that a jazz worship service appeals to people whose past
experiences have led them to consider organized religion uninviting, dogmatic, irrelevant
or even repressive.
- Jazz is spontaneous - The essence of jazz is
improvisation, spontaneous variations on a given theme. Creativity relies on a connection
to the Spirit. Jazz imitates God's creation - ever evolving.
- Jazz has a range - Sometimes meditative,
sometimes celebratory, jazz touches us by speaking directly to a spectrum of emotions.
Louis Armstrong said, "What we play is life." The church year also
reflects this range of experience - from the wonder of Christmas to the reflective Lent
season, and from baptisms to weddings to funerals.
- Jazz offers a tradition-based alternative – Most
churches are interested in balancing heritage and contemporary relevance. Jazz renditions
of the remarkable American hymnody we inherited link the past to the present.
- Jazz crosses generations – Unlike some
types of music featured in contemporary worship services, jazz appeals to people of all
ages.
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Bradley Sowash is one of the foremost
advocates for incorporating jazz music in the worship life of the church. An accomplished
composer, educator, recording artist, and concert jazz pianist, Bradley Sowash has
delighted listeners of all ages in concert halls and churches throughout the United States
and Europe for over two decades. Publications by Sowash include several volumes of jazz
hymn arrangements published by Augsburg Fortress Press and piano music published by the
Neil A. Kjos Music Company. "I embrace the search, not certainty. By speaking directly to our
emotions, music welcomes all regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey and I
feel blessed when my music can serve as a catalyst for renewal and growth." -
Bradley Sowash
Contact Bradley Sowash Music |
"Why should the devil
have all the good music?" - Martin Luther
"When we open
ourselves to our creativity, we open ourselves to the creator’s creativity within us
and our lives." – Julia Cameron, Author of The Artist’s Way
"The church will die
of boredom long before it dies from controversy." - Bishop John Shelby Spong
"Creativity is . . . seeing
something that doesn’t exist already. You need to find out how you can bring it into
being and that way be a playmate with God." – Michele Shea
"The most important function of
art and science is to awaken the cosmic religious feeling and keep it alive." -
Albert Einstein
"Artist’s have a way of loosening up a congregation to create room for
the spirit to operate." – Rev. James R. Adams
"What we play is life." -
Louis Armstrong
"Great improvisors are like
priests. They are thinking only of their god." – jazz violinist Stephane
Grappelli |
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One
of this country's experts on jazz ministry. - Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne,
IN
You were terrific and I enjoyed
accompanying you. - The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong (author/theologian)
Your musicality shines throughout. -
Rev. William Sloane Coffin, (author/theologian)
Your music is wonderful. If I could play piano
how you play is what I would like to do. - John McQuiston (author of Always
We Begin Again)
When a jazz pianist as good as Bradley
Sowash puts his imaginative touch to these songs, it is a genuine sharing
experience. - Jazz Review
What a wonderful weekend , the
raves keep comming!!!! It was such a treat to get to know you and Susan and have
a great spirit and quality of music..... - Richard (Music Director, Covenant
Presbyterian, Roanoke, VA)
I have heard so many repeated and varied
expressions of gratitude for the zest and spirit we collectively provided for the church
service. Equal to the morning was the great response and comments about the
concert. - Mel (Director of Music, Nardin Park UMC, Farmington Hills, MI)
Again
I want to say how much we enjoyed having you and the trio share
your great talents with us! Sure
hope we can make that happen again. - Bev, St. Andrews
UMC, Findlay, OH
I have received so much positive feedback
from so many different types of people in the congregation that our worship team is now
considering getting funding to make that sort of worship style more the norm than the
exception. - Larry, Lakewood Congregational, OH
Ingenious jazz played by an original master.
- Canon Peter Strimer, St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle
Thank you for making the trip to Iowa. All of us at
Lakeside so enjoyed working with you. The congregation was moved by the service. Your
artistry brought new meaning to our worship experience. I personally can’t
wait for more piano books! – Barb, Director of Music, Storm Lake, IA
Thank you so much for playing at our church. I
have gotten nothing but positive comments from everyone. - Darrin,
Music Dir., David's UCC, Dayton, OH
You have a real gift and we all consider
ourselves fortunate to have shared the day with you. - Kathleen, West Park
UCC
We enjoyed having you here. It was surprising
to us to have an artist who was so personable. - Rev. Marcia Cham,
Union Congregational, East Bridgewater, MA
Your faith is so evident in your music. It
pours out and reaches my spirit like no other music has for a long time. -
Nancy, Minister of Music, Pilgrim Church, Bozeman, MT
Your presence and leadership were profoundly
appreciated and will be long remembered. – Rev. John M. Schaeffer, UCC
Conference Minister, Billings, MT
Your performance was wonderful and I am still
smiling. I enjoyed the stories of your inspirations for original compositions.
- First Congregational UCC, Mount Vernon, OH
Your presence in our community for just one day
was a gift and we thank you for inspiring us with your stories, and moving us
with your music. As I am sure you could tell, the spontaneous standing ovation
from the audience indicated their sentiments of joy. – Ann, Trinity UCC,
Wadsworth, OH
The most meditative Advent service
ever. - Rev. David Hett, First Community Church, Columbus, OH
Tell them I said
you are the real deal. - The Rev. Cam Miller, Trinity Episcopal, Buffalo, NY
It was so obvious that you were truly
enjoying the moment and that joy and love just seemed to spread across the audience. - We
were all entwined with it - and I thought over and over, Yes! This is how it's
supposed to be. - Sally, Sylvania UCC, Toledo
You touch many people through your music,
saying for us to God what may not be possible to articulate. - Laura
(listener)
Thanks again for a wonderful evening. Your
concert brought a buzz that has not yet subsided. - Andy, (Music
Director), Cleveland, OH
Thank you for sharing what gifts God gave
you. Some have the ear and do not hear. Some have the sight and memory and
never put forth the work needed to make it special. We at, Christ Lutheran,
are far richer. - Sheila, Athens, OH
We were really enlivened by your music and your
presentation. We liked you! - Pastor Cathy Stentzel (UCC), North Olmstead,
OH
Your keyboard skills and sensitivity
were a wonderful expression of thanksgiving and praise to God! The way you spoke about your
music made us feel we knew you as one of us. – Rev. John Ferris,
Kilbourne United Methodist
You are a fabulous
gift and I hope those gifts will be picked up by others often. -
Richard A. Wing, Senior Minister, First Community Church (UCC) in Columbus, OH
I want to thank you for
everything you did and all that you brought to us last Sunday at St. Mark's -- the
whole community has been absolutely floating since then... - The Rev.
Katherine Lewis, The Episcopal Cathedral of St. Mark's, Minneapolis, MN
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