Sacred Concert: Samara Joy and Musique Noire

What is Sacred Concert?

In the last years of Duke Ellington's life, he wrote three tremendous works that combined jazz, classical music, choral music, spirituals, gospel, blues, and dance. He called them his Sacred Concerts and performed them in churches and cathedrals worldwide. He said it was the most meaningful music he'd ever written.

"I recognized this as an exceptional opportunity," Ellington wrote in his 1973 autobiography Music Is My Mistress. "Now, I can say openly what I have been saying to myself on my knees."

The Sacred Music Concert at Christ Church Cranbrook mirrors Ellington's intentional expression of spirituality--purposeful praise. And in our glory to God, sacred music offers a universal meeting point in all forms. Yet, what makes music holy is not a rigid category nor a fixed pattern of preference. The sole measure is whether the hearts of the musician and listener are in devotion to God, humbly submitted.

In his description of what the 'sacred concerts' mean, Duke Ellington echoes this sentiment, reflecting that one of the most complex tasks man faces is honest communication because it requires vulnerability. The open communication he attempts through lyrics and melody is a candid conversation with the divine. He reminds us, "Every man prays in his own language, and there is no language that God does not understand."

Please join us for an evening of jazz inspired vocal and instrumental music from gifted, world-class artists.

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Host or Publisher Cranbrook Project