Ed Summerlin and Roger Ortmayer - Liturgical Jazz

Ed Summerlin and Roger Ortmayer - Liturgical Jazz

This LP is a recording of a church service of morning prayer set to jazz music. This most likely was recorded and released sometime during the early 1960s.

Personnel:

Ed Summerlin - conductor and tenor sax
Bob Thomas - alto sax
Earle Dhus - tenor sax
Morgan Powell - trombone
Bob Foutz - lead trumpet
Tom Wirtel - trumpet and flugel horn
Gene Gandy - piano
Rich O'Donnell - drums
Don Ratterree - bass

On the two hymns Marvin Stamm replaces Bob Foutz and Dee Barton replaces Morgan Powell. Tom Wirtel plays the trumpet solos and Ed Summerlin plays the tenor solos.

Reading by Roger Ortmeyer

Some comments from the liner notes by Roger Ortmeyer:

There seems to be consternation in some ecclesiastical circles when a jazz liturgy is proposed. Among jazz enthusiasts the reaction is nearly parallel; perhaps more of bewilderment and unease than of consternation.
Both need to be dealt with, and both need to be enlightened.
The liturgist is convinced that into his hands has been given a sacred treasure and he must struggle against those who would weaken its vigor. He tends to have a somewhat dogmatic sense of what is "proper." Jazz seems too frivolous, too immature and too much identified with unsavory aspects of the world for it to accompany the ancient liturgical patterns of the Church. The traditional, stately and the acceptable has been the liturgical accompaniment he recalls and he is usually determined to keep it that way.
...
The liturgy, supporting which this composition has been written, is an order designed for regular Sunday morning services of a local parish. It was contained in a book sent by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, to the organizing Conference of American Methodists in 1784. It's title was The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America. His advice was that all the preachers should use it each Lord's day, feeling that it was the most "rational and scriptural way of feeding and guiding those poor sheep in the wilderness."
It will be noted by many that the service is essentially the order contained in The Book of Common Prayer. This is natural inasmuch as Wesley was a priest of the Church of England and was convinced to the day of his death that the liturgy of the Church was the best possible for the prayers of the people.
For most Christians, this basic pattern is the proper form of worship. It is a rehearsal of what they believe God has done for them, and their participation in the drama.
The rational of the liturgy is quite simple: 1) A representation of what the Christian believes God has done and continues to do through Jesus Christ, and 2) an enactment by each participant of this drama of salvation.
...
The music for the liturgy is a fine example of the coming of age of the jazz idiom. It explores in exciting fashion many of the features of contemporary "classical" composition while maintaining the necessary improvisation of jazz.
...
The conjunction of jazz with the spoken word forces the members of the congregation and the clerical leader to come to terms with the words of the liturgy. There is no lagging and day dreaming in this service. The worshipper is forced to shout his praises and, struck with trembling at his condemnation, rejoices in his absolution and in confidence makes offering of himself. Could anything more be asked of the music of the Church?
 
Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Prelude {5:10}

2. Collect for Purity of Heart {0:25}

3. Hymn of Praise: Love Devine {2:33}

4. Service of Confession {3:00}

5. Service of the Word {4:37}

Side Two

1. Te Deum {1:49}

2. New Testament Lesson (II Peter 1 3-11) {1:33}

3. Benedictus {1:21}

4. The Apostles' Creed {0:43}

5. Witness to the Word: Sermon {0:44}

6. Service of Offering {6:45}

7. After-Service {3:01}

8. Postlude {2:39}