I arrived at Mt. Carmel Church of God and Christ  on Easter Sunday, ready to listen to the story of Jesus rising from the tomb,  but found that I had been overcome with emotion before I even made it to my seat.  Immediately when I walked inside there was gospel music being played and I felt it so deeply I began to cry uncontrollably. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing from my eyes throughout the entire ceremony as more music was played accompanied by dancing and the word of God. The keyboard, the drums, and every other instrument on stage, I could feel it through my entire being. It was a feeling that was very hard to understand or explain in any other way than an intense and overpowering emotion of relief. Jazz makes me feel the same way but not with that same intensity.

Now, if you’re from Kansas City then you may be familiar with the history of jazz within the community. Kansas City was a popular spot and home to some of the greatest jazz clubs in the country. There’s also the American Museum of Jazz on 18th and Vine and places like The Blue Room where you can enjoy live jazz music. While jazz is very prominent in the city, gospel is heavily connected to it. Whether it be its history or the way the music is played. Gospel music came from negro spirituals and slave hymns, but has evolved in this world of technology.

One Kansas City native, JahVelle Rhone, a popular soprano saxophone player on social media, shows the connections between gospel and jazz very well as he is a part of the church and jazz communities. Born on November 28th, 1984 Rhone, who goes by JRSaxophonic on social media, grew up in a church and musical environment. His mom was a choir director and his dad was a lead guitar player who both encouraged him not to give up musically as a child after a bad experience on the cello.

Growing up Rhone was surrounded by jazz and gospel music. He attended F.L.  Schlagle High School in Kansas City, KS where he wrote music for the highschool band at just fourteen years old. He was a part of the jazz community while in high school, frequently going to the city and experiencing Kansas City jazz as well as playing it.

As an adult the hardest thing that Rhone was dealing with when it came to music was “understanding how to properly communicate.” He said the way he was communicating was very “elementary.” Rhone wanted to challenge the way you think with his music instead of with words which is harder said than done. He felt basic with his saxophone, so he took up a daunting challenge. Playing ten thousand hours on his saxophone to master it. When he finally completed his goal he remarked at how different his playing had become as well as in the way he communicated. While trying to reach this goal Rhone read a psalm a day every time he played because he wanted to be “anointed like David.”

In the Bible, David was a humble shepherd boy who was chosen by God to become the next King of Israel and he played the harp. From first Samuel 16:23 it reads, “And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.”

Although some may not be religious, jazz still has a powerful effect. Kansas University student Ian Wilson, who has been playing Tenor saxophone since his highschool years, isn’t religious but has listened to gospel while being in a jazz band. Wilson used to play in the jazz band at JCCC during the pandemic. At the time it was difficult for the band to meet and practice together, having to practice outside in the parking lot with plexiglass on their music so it wouldn’t fly away with the wind. He stated, “Music gives me a voice. It feels like I am truly heard when I play, and people listen.” Communicating is a big piece of playing instruments. To be able to evoke emotions from someone by playing your instrument in the way you want is what all the musicians I spoke to want to do. Wilson spoke about his passion for music saying, “The ability to express yourself in a truly unique way is unlike anything else. Music is such a powerful tool for every situation.” Jazz music is created from nothing to tell a story just like gospel music is telling a story with the word of God.

I spoke with Pastor Jason Sims of Mt. Carmel Church of God and Christ about the spiritual connections of jazz and gospel. Not only is he the pastor of the church but he plays tenor saxophone as well as a few other instruments and is the cousin of JahVelle Rhone. At their church they play a mix of gospel music but mostly contemporary gospel which he says is “directly influenced by jazz.” Pastor Sims talks about first lady Lasandra Sims’ gift of singing gospel at the church. Enthusiastic about the way she exercises her gift to spread God’s word through her voice. She inspires him through her music showing that music can pull those emotions out of you no matter if it’s jazz or gospel. I was invited to Sunday service at Mt. Carmel where I got the opportunity to hear and see first hand what gospel music does for people. As the music resonated through the sanctuary most people were standing, raising their hands in prayer, and clapping their hands to the beat of the music. There were a few who shed a tear, me included. The music was very powerful.

Communicating without using any words. The thing that connects gospel to jazz and jazz to gospel is communicating on a whole new level that not everyone is able to achieve. Whether you communicate to other people with your music or communicate with God. Music needs no words to bring out those raw emotions from someone. It can come from those who are going through rough times or someone who just wants to spread joy around the world with their instrument. Every line of music is embedded with a different story. Jazz and Gospel connects the black community to their culture, a culture that is so often stolen and profited from by others and we are given no recognition. But these saxophone players have overcome their obstacles and persevered through to the end.

Soprano, tenor, and alto sax all have a beautiful distinct sound and each gives you a different type of feeling when played and how it’s played. For JahVelle Rhone, his soprano saxophone gives him the freedom to express himself with jazz and gospel. For Pastor Sims, his tenor saxophone playing is about becoming competent on his favorite saxophone. He speaks the word of God and allows God to speak through him while he preaches to an entire church with his wife Lasandra Sims next to him using her voice to spread the word of God. For Ian Wilson on tenor saxophone, he wants to be able to play on the same level as the pros and can’t wait to pick up where he left off once he’s done with school.