Jazz at Restoration Church in Northwest Philly

The Unitarian Universalist church on Stenton Avenue in Northwest Philly is featuring two jazz concerts in July.

The Caribbean Jazz Band will perform Friday night, July 10th, at 7 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration on 6900 Stenton Ave at Gorgas Lane in East Mt. Airy (19150).

The Caribbean Jazz Band will be a regular Jazz Vespers feature at Restoration. They will also be appearing on Friday evenings, August 14th; September 11; October 9; November 13, and December 11 of this year. The donation is $10 and refreshments are served.

Restoration’s regular Jazz Vespers series will continue with Jazz Vocalist Kevin Valentine on Sunday, June 19th at 4:30 p.m. Kevin will be joined by Karen Smith on percussion and Dave Sanders on guitar. Kevin has performed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Zanzibar Blue, and the Pyramid Club. In 2013, he was nominated by the Clef Club as male jazz vocalist of the year.

The Caribbean Jazz Band is an off-shoot of the Latin Jazz Band “Baleia” which was formed by percussionist Greg Moore and trombonist Joe Kohanski in 1979, who were, at the time, members of the Teddy Pendergrass band from 1977 to 1982. Greg and Joe wanted to put together a band to play Latin and Brazilian Jazz of that time. “Baleia” was disbanded around 1989, for various reasons but in 2013, they decided to put the band back together again to perform the music they loved so much, and also honor the memory of the deceased bass player John Turner. They decided to re-name the band “The Caribbean Jazz Band.”

The music of “The Caribbean Jazz Band” is centered around the rhythms of Africa, Brazil, Cuba, and, Trinidad, which features the drums, congas and percussion. The traditional rhythms of those countries, blended with American Jazz, provide an exciting style of music that all people can enjoy.

“The Caribbean Jazz Band” consists of Greg Moore - Congas and Percussion, Ron Howerton - Congas and Percussion, Ricky Tate, Jr., - Alto Sax, Marc Johnson - Keyboards, Steel Drum and Wind Instruments, Charles Beasly - Bass, Mike Cummings -- Guitar, and Jeffery Johnson - Drums. They look forward to really giving their audience an exciting and unforgettable experience in Caribbean Music. For more information -- www.uurestoration.us

Janet Mason is an author and lay minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration where she recently presented the debut of her novel Art, a novel of revolution, love, and marriage. To read the excerpt, click here.