About jazzPRAISE

jazzPRAISE is a dynamic music ministry. We minister the Good News of Jesus Christ through praise music, testimonies, and prayer ministry. We play everything from Bach to Amazing Grace to contemporary praise music, much of it original , all with melodic improvisations on top of latin and swing rhythms.

When I was 4 or 5 years old my mother read to me about Jesus and I believed. In grade school I became very active as a choir member at Trinity Episcopal Church, Toledo, Ohio. In high school God called me into the ordained ministry. I also enjoyed playing saxophone in dance bands and jazz groups. At the time I assumed that when I entered the ministry I would have to give up playing saxophone (My pastor was a former saxophone player himself). However in seminary I picked up the vibraharp and a few years later I composed and began playing a jazz mass and a bossa nova mass which I performed at many churches.

In 1971 I was introduced to the charismatic renewal and soon after Jesus baptized my wife Bettina and myself with the Holy Spirit. We had a whole new awareness of Jesus and we became part of a dynamic prayer and praise group at the church where we served in St. Paul, MN. During the following years the Lord blessed us with three children, Bettina (Gillen), Michael and Katrina. In 1977 we moved back to Michigan.

In the 90’s I transferred my ordination to New Jerusalem Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational church and became part of the praise team. In 1998, one day I heard in my mind myself playing praise music with a gifted jazz guitarist, Don Hales. He had played a tour of college chapel campuses with me in the 60’s. I hadn’t seen him since. He was living in Columbus, Ohio and playing music. I tracked him down and phoned him. Much to my surprise, but not God’s, Don was moving back to the Toledo area. I shared my vision with him. When he arrived we put together a group and jazzPRAISE was born.

Two years later we added our gifted church vocalist and keyboard player Donna Howland. Thanks to my wife Bettina’s encouragement, I returned to playing alto saxophone as my primary instrument. I can’t tell you how much joy it is to praise the Lord on it.

The Lord provided very good musicians for our first two recordings. However, with our newest members I believe the Lord is taking us to a new level of music ministry. He has provided Pastor Rick Braman on bass and Bill Latocki of PraiseToys on conga drums and percussion. Don Hales moved back to Columbus in 2005. In his place the Lord has provided jazz guitarist and vocalist Pastor Bill Walbridge. Bill also assists with the prayer ministry which concludes our engagements. And the Lord has been giving me many new praise songs which we plan to record in the coming year.

Testimonies are shared, and ourministry concludes with a time of prayer for healing and personal needs. It is intergral to our
ministry and many lives are touched.

For more information about jazzPRAISE, contact Richard Blank at 517.431.2188.