NJPAC's special concert on November 21 celebrates 25 years of the Bethany Baptist Jazz Vespers Concert Series with music director and bandleader Nat Adderley Jr., jazz trumpeter and conductor Jon Faddis, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin and jazz/gospel singer Lizz Wright.
Since 2000, Newark’s historic Bethany Baptist Church has hosted free concerts that combine jazz and worship. For this special event, Jazz Vespers heads to the NJPAC stage for a look back at 25 years of praiseworthy music. We’ll also honor Rev. M. William Howard, Jr., who co-founded Jazz Vespers with Newark’s First Lady of Jazz, NEA Jazz Master and WBGO legend Dorthaan Kirk.
Dr. Howard, a huge jazz fan, spoke with WBGO's Doug Doyle about the beginnings of the Jazz Vespers series at Bethany.
"The engine was Dorthaan Kirk (affectionately known as DK). She has been not only the person that worked closely with me during my roughly 16 years at Bethany but she's kept it going to this day. On the first Saturday at Bethany you can come and hear world class jazz."
All the performers at the November 21 concert are part of Bethany's Jazz Vespers history.
Dr. Howard says jazz played in the church has a special vibe.
"If you simply sit quiet and she your biases, you can feel what many people refer to as 'The Spirit.' Jazz Vespers began in my early days and there was a certain honeymoon patience with me and there were many people who didn't think much of it but they liked me and more appropriately they liked my wife. They figured I couldn't be so bad because we know Sister Barbara, but they didn't really embrace this until people started joining the church."
25 years later, Jazz Vespers continues to pack the church in Newark.
Now retired, Dr. Howard remains extremely active and has left an amazing legacy. He's a former college president and long-time community and business leader who has been awarded honorary degrees from Morehouse College, Miles College, Central College, Bloomfield College. Rutgers University, and Essex County College.
You can SEE the entire conversation with Rev. Dr. Bill Howard here.
