Once a month the smooth sounds of local jazz artists will be emanating from Golden Ears United Church.
Jazz Vespers are two thirds music and one third reflection and are a one hour performance combined with reflection based on the theme of the songs.
“It’s kind of a thing that communities try to do to get people out to see some jazz and maybe people that wouldn’t normally go to a church would go to the concert,” said Rebekah Bell who will be performing at the next Jazz Vespers.
Bell will be doing vocals with Al Crout playing guitar and Glenn Lemieux on piano.
They will be performing eight songs including jazz standards like Pennies from Heaven and Every Time We Say Goodbye and I’m Just A Lucky So And So, along with Blackbird by The Beatles and the Disney song When You Wish Upon A Star.
Bell, a music teacher at Garibaldi secondary school, chose to sing Blackbird because, she says, it’s simply an awesome song.
She taught that song to her vocal jazz class two years ago.
“We haven’t actually had vocal jazz for two years because I didn’t have room in my schedule,” said Bell adding that the song is a shout out to her students.
“Now we are getting vocal jazz back again next year which is great,” she said.
When You Wish Upon A Star is nostalgic choice for Bell.
“Anybody that I mention the song to it reminds them of Sunday afternoon movie. Dinner time they always had a movie on and it was a family thing to do,” said Bell.
At the concert Bell will be collecting donations for the Garibaldi music department that has grown dramatically in the last four years and is in need of new equipment.
“When I got to the school I had not quite a full-time music position. Now we’ve actually hired a third music teacher for next year,” she said.
“The instruments are like 60 years old,” explained Bell.
The list is long but Bell would like to start by replacing the large instruments like the bass clarinets, baritone saxophones, tubas, big instruments that cost a lot of money.
Starting prices for a lot of these instruments is $3,000. A tuba can cost $7,000.
“So, trying to get enough instruments and have the equipment, percussion, even music stands, to make the music program run now, is a little daunting for many,” said Bell.
Bell is planning a music marathon with her students in October to raise more money.
For now whatever she can raise will help.
“It’s kind of a drop in the bucket but you’ve got to start somewhere.”