Jazz Mass

Bringing his considerable skill in both jazz and sacred choral music to bear, Craig Curry has crafted a wonderful and innovative contribution to choral literature. This exciting 5-movement work is set in a series of contrasting jazz styles: an up-tempo minor blues, a joyous samba, a pulsating cha-cha-cha, a reflective ballad, and a swinging blues. The text, adapted from the traditional mass text, is primarily in English, but also frequently uses the most accessible Latin phrases (e.g., Kyrie eleison, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Dona nobis pacem).

To address the improvisational aspects of the work, Curry suggests those with a jazz background improvise in marked solo sections. However, for those without improvisation expertise, every vocal scat solo and instrumental solo has been fully notated and may be sung or played note for note, ensuring an authentic sounding result. The piano accompaniment and bass part are also fully notated. Three movements call for a small horn section (alto sax, trumpet, trombone).

Available for download, your purchase includes pdfs of the Conductor score, a Choral score (Piano/Vocal), a full set of instrumental parts (piano, bass, drums, guitar, alto sax, trumpet, trombone, percussion), and permission to make as many copies as needed for your performance. SAVE MORE THAN $75 BY PURCHASING THE ENTIRE WORK versus INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENTS!

Whether performed as a concert piece or as part of the liturgy, Jazz Mass is an experience your choir and audience will long remember!

Performance Time: 30 minutes

[Note: Due to the large file size, your download is a zip file. Please download to a desktop or laptop for easiest access.]