The story of Christ's passion
Familiar Hymns and joyful new songs
Sacred songs and poems
The Chicago Jazz Mass was first celebrated on Ascension Day in 1986 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saint Luke, 1500 West. Belmont, Chicago with Pastor David Abrahamson leading the worship.
This Eucharistic liturgy composed by Andy Tecson consisting of a Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Nunc Dimittis has been celebrated at hundreds of church services involving many denominations, including festival services for the National Council of Churches, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America national assemblies, a United Methodist Church regional assembly, a Metropolitan Chicago Synod assembly, and the Good Samaritan Society National Assembly in communities including Denver, Davenport, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Victorious, Eternal, Light: A JAZZ PASSION is a collaborative project between Pastor David Abrahamson and composers Andy Tecson, Bobby Lewis, and Bobby Schiff. The aim was to create a contemporary musical interpretation of Jesus’ ultimate act for our salvation, using modern language and the jazz idiom.
Drawing inspiration from the rich tradition of musical portrayals of the Passion Story, this work boldly expresses Christ’s mercy and grace. It serves as a testament to the enduring power of the story and its significance in our lives.
Featured Performers
This performance features some of Chicago’s best jazz musicians conducted by Justin Sisul, including Matt Bowker, Kecia Waldschmidt, Dan MacDonald, Gayle Bisesi, Jon Negus, Jennifer Kew, Tramaine Parker, Lisa Bowker, Jake Stouffer, Bill Balmer, Bobby Lewis, Bobby Schiff, Stewart Miller, Ken Jandes, Geraldo de Oliveira, Andy Tecson, Tim Coffman, Steve Eisen, John Blane, David Onderndonk, Kirk Garrison, and Bob Rummage.
This show features interviews with David Abrahamson and Andy Tecson, and a new studio performance of a simplified version of the Jazz Passion for use by a church choir accompanied by a pianist and one instrument, with singers Kecia Waldschmidt, Gayle Bisesi, Daniel Riley, Dan MacDonald and Jon Negus, and Bobby Schiff on piano, me on sax, Geraldo De Oliviera on congas, Bobby Lewis on trumpet, Steve Eisen on flute, Ernie Adams (off camera, but providing a soulful drum track for the Resurrection), Tim Frakes behind the camera, and Roger Heiss in the Tone Zone recording studio at the soundboard.
We hope to find a publisher for this music so that choir directors at churches and schools can use one or more of the pieces for worship with just their pianist and choir (with one optional additional single instrument), as opposed to performing all twelve pieces with 25 musicians.