Early next year, Forum speakers Dr William Edgar (professor at Westminster Theological Seminary) and Ruth Naomi Floyd (professional jazz singer) will embark on a two-week jazz tour in Europe with professional musician Randy Pendleton. The Heaven in a Nightclub tour is tentatively scheduled to take place from 11-24 March 2012, and will involve lectures as well as musical performances.

The first Heaven in a Nightclub Jazz Tour took place from 23 January - 2 February 2009. Concerts were held in Birmingham, Cambridge, Sheffield, London, Belfast, Dublin, Budapest, and Prague.

WHY HOST THE TOUR?

The Heaven in a Nightclub tour is an incredible opportunity to share the Gospel with nonbelievers through the power of jazz music. We have found that many people were exposed to Jesus, sometimes for the first time, by seeing how a major musical genre was shaped by the truth and hope found in the message of the Gospel. Heaven in a Nightclub is a 90-minute jazz concert interspersed with historical information about the spiritual roots of jazz. The tour is also an opportunity to host one of the foremost apologists and cultural thinkers of our generation. 

Dr Edgar describes the tour:

"Our philosophy is that jazz ought to entertain, but that its background is in the spiritual experience of African-American people, reared in slavery and nurtured on the Gospel message. Specifically, we take the audience through some of the history of African-American music, both sacred and secular, mixing narrative with music. We outline the problem of finding spiritual roots in the music, and then go on to explore specific genres, including ragtime, blues, spirituals, funeral bands, etc. The programme lasts around one and one half hours, but that can vary."

After returning from the original tour, Edgar wrote:

"Wherever we went, this programme was very warmly received. Appreciation took various forms. Some said they simply did not know of the connection between jazz and the Gospel and were happy to learn of it. Others just loved the music. Many were deeply moved spiritually. We had numerous follow-up conversations, some of which involved counselling and evangelism. One young woman said to me after the concert, 'After hearing that, I am almost ready to become a believer.'"

Click here to read a report written by Dr Peter May about the first four cities of the 2009 Heaven in a Nightclub Tour.

2012 HOSTS

We are currently looking for hosts for the upcoming tour. Each event will consist of a concert in the evening (piano, bassist, and vocal performance), as well as lectures during the day at one or two locations.

General responsibilities for the host will include:

• finding and reserving a venue
• securing technical/sound equipment
• advertising the event
• hosting the musicians (transportation, food, lodging for three people, etc.)

In addition, each tour host will be expected to make a financial contribution to help cover various band expenses (such as airfare) and Forum administrative costs.  For more information on this and for further details regarding hosting responsiblities, please reference the application (link below).

If you would be interested in hosting a tour, please click here to fill out an application for hosting. (Please click here for a list of Dr Edgar's possible speaking topics, which you will need when completing the application.) Applications should be returned to jazztour@euroleadership.org. 

The deadline for turning in applications is Wednesday, 14 September 2011.

2012 TOUR PERFORMERS

The 2012 jazz tour will consist of the following three performers: Bill Edgar on piano, Ruth Naomi Floyd on vocals, and Randy Pendleton on bass. For a video of Ruth Naomi Floyd performing, click here. For a 45-minute lecture and performance by Bill Edgar, click here.         

William Edgar studied at Harvard University (Honors BA in Music), Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv), and the University of Geneva (DTh). He has taught at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, CT, and at the  Faculté Jean Calvin in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he continues as Professeur Associé. He is currently Professor of Apologetics, and Coordinator of the Apologetics Department at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he has been since 1989. His books include Taking Note of Music (London: SPCK, 1986), Reasons of the Heart (Baker/Hourglass, 1996; P & R, 2003), La carte protestante (Labor et Fides, 1997), The Face of Truth: Lifting the Veil (P & R, 2001), Les dix commandements (Excelsis, 2007), Truth in All Its Glory: Commending the Reformed Faith (P & R, 2004), and Christian Apologetics Past and Present (2009). He speaks and writes on such subjects as cultural apologetics, the music of Brahms, the French Huguenots, and African-American aesthetics. He plays regularly with the jazz band Renewal. The Edgars have two children and three grand-children.

Ruth Naomi Floyd is a vocalist and composer with a five-album discography dedicated to a jazz expression of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She is Adjunct Professor of Vocals in the Church Music Programme at Philadelphia Biblical University of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and teaches music at Spruce Hill Christian School. She conducts several vocal clinics as well as lectures on the history and celebration of the African American Spirituals. For over fifteen years she has been devoted and active in providing compassionate care and spiritual support to people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Ruth is married to Rev Kenyatta Rush, and they have two children, Isaiah and Grace.

Randy Pendleton was born in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. He was educated at Bowling Green State University and Bowie State University, receiving his BA in Music Education K-12. His love for music led to a career as an instructor in the US Navy School of Music, playing in the Naval Academy Band and the NATO Band in Naples, Italy. He performed and taught extensively in Europe and the US as an instrumentalist of string and electric bass, tuba, piano, and vocals. He has worked with several churches in worship arts, training, leading, and educating children and adults in music, drama, multi-media, and visual arts. Randy and his wife Belinda have been married since 1973; they have two children and one grandchild.