Jazz

Saint Peter's is the first “Church of Jazz" due to its service and support of jazz musicians and lovers of jazz.

The centerpiece of Saint Peter's Jazz Ministry is our weekly Jazz Vespers service, every Sunday at 5 PM since 1965. This event features the brightest stars of international jazz, and comes with a rich history, with some of the greatest jazz musicians playing.

Our Jazz Program

By nature, jazz is an open art form, continually expanding into new dynamics and possibilities for music making. At its best, it is the church who should steadfastly listen to the voice of God and adapt to hold all people in a safe environment, free to create and thrive. Although the church does not always hold up its end of the bargain, openness and hospitality are core tenants to understanding connection, and understanding what it means to be people of God.

The musical traditions of Saint Peter’s Church are varied. The community sings literature from all over the world, and America’s art form—jazz—has particular prominence.

While American in origin, jazz has global resonances and interpretations by performers globally, and just as the variety of classical music is reinterpreted and presented in our classical program, so too is jazz. In 1964, Pastor John Garcia Gensel founded the jazz ministry at Saint Peter’s Church and shepherded the people of New York’s jazz community, dubbed his “Night Flock.” Friend, Collaborator, and Jazz Legend Duke Ellington dedicated “The Shepherd who Watches over the Night Flock” to Pastor Gensel, in honor of his ministry.

Pastor Gensel’s ministry was not confined to the four walls of any church, but instead took place in jazz clubs and theaters of Manhattan, offering a hand and an ear to the jazz musicians in need of guidance, respect, and humanity in an untraditional—and at times turbulent—career path.

A then-radical approach to ministry, Saint Peter’s Church, “the first church of jazz,” continued after Pastor Gensel’s retirement, thanks to the leadership of Jazz Pastor Emeritus Dale R. Lind, jazz musicians who called Saint Peter’s their parish, and the commitment of many who saw the importance of the mission and ministry. The jazz ministry at Saint Peter’s Church continues to respond to the needs of the jazz community, through performance or pastoral care, guiding jazz musicians and lovers of jazz.

Strayhorn Piano at Saint Peter’s

Today Jazz Vespers and other concerts remain steadfast as we recommit to an integral service of Saint Peter’s distinct ministry.

Among the five pianos at Saint Peter’s Church, of unique history and legacy is the Steinway baby grand piano of the jazz composer and performer, Billy Strayhorn. It was bequeathed to the congregation by the great pianist’s estate in 1967 and thanks to this important gift, Strayhorn’s legacy and inspiration continues in a particularly vibrant way at Saint Peter’s Church. The Strayhorn piano is housed in our Living Room, and used by jazz performers during our weekly Jazz Vespers service. Restored in 2010, the Strayhorn piano stands as a living witness to the ongoing vitality of jazz at Saint Peter’s Church.