Heaven in a Nightclub ... the spiritual roots of jazz in the Waterside Theatre (Fri 1 Feb)

As part of the City of Culture 2013, there’s an evening of jazz up in Derry’s Waterside Theatre on Friday 1 February at 8pm.

Three artists – Bill Edgar, Ruth Naomi Floyd and Randy Pendleton – will perform examples of ragtime, blues, spirituals, funeral bands and much, much more. The Heaven in a Nightclub jazz concert will be interspersed with historical information about the spiritual roots of jazz. So you’ll go home with your foot tapping and your brain enriched!

Dr Bill Edgar is a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. His approach is that “jazz ought to entertain” but its background is deeply rooted in the history and social and spiritual experiences of African-American people who were reared in slavery yet nurtured on the Gospel message in every aspect of life.

Heaven in a Nightclub is organised by Contemporary Christianity and the Presbytery of Derry and Donegal. Tickets (adult £8, concession £5) are available from the Waterside Theatre box office, or in bulk from Billy McIlwaine (028 7134 6718 or billymcilwaine AT hotmail DOT com).