PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Contact: Gregory Burrus Productions

Location: Millburn, New Jersey

Jesus & Jazz Service Celebrates Rev. Eyesha Marable’s 7th Pastoral Anniversary and Two Years of Jesus and Jazz Ministry at Mt. Zion AME Church

At 56 Church Street in Millburn, Mt. Zion AME Church, Milburn continues to affirm its place as one of New Jersey’s most compelling emerging spaces for sacred and jazz expression. For some, It is now becoming regarded as one of Northern Jersey’s finest Sunday Morning cultural offerings. Mt. Zion AME Church provided a luminous setting for a celebration honoring Rev. Eyesha Marable’s 7th Pastoral Anniversary and the 2nd Anniversary of Jesus & Jazz. Headlined by renowned pianist Cyrus Chestnut, the gathering blended spiritual depth, artistic excellence, and community tradition.

The service unfolded as both sacred observance and a masterclass in modern jazz artistry. At the piano, Cyrus Chestnut delivered a performance of breathtaking authority—rich in gospel inflection, blues vocabulary, and architectural harmonic depth. His touch balanced reverence with improvisational daring, shaping each hymn-like meditation into a sophisticated jazz statement.

Bassist and producer John Lee, a Grammy Award–winning force in contemporary jazz, anchored the ensemble with resonant clarity and compositional intelligence. Alongside him, world‑renowned percussionist Winard Harper propelled the service with rhythmic brilliance—at once delicate and commanding, sacred and syncopated.

The gathering reflected the depth and respect of the jazz community. Among the notable guests was Wayne Winborne, Executive Director of the Institute of Jazz Studies, whose presence underscored the event’s cultural significance within the broader landscape of jazz scholarship and Black sacred tradition.

Our vocalist Lynette Sheard offered soul‑stirring interpretations that fused gospel conviction with jazz nuance. Her voice soared with emotional gravity, reminding the congregation that the roots of jazz remain deeply entwined with the Black church and its spiritual lineage.

Behind the scenes, Gregory Burrus—local live‑music ambassador, event planner, and community partner—continues to shape Jesus & Jazz into more than a program; it is an artistic ministry and cultural forum. 

Looking Ahead: A Growing Sacred‑Arts Ministry

Looking ahead to its third year, Jesus & Jazz becomes part of a wider expansion at Mt. Zion AME Church. Under Rev. Marable’s guidance, the church will now offer Blues & Blessings on 2nd Sundays and Poetry & Praise on 3rd Sundays—broadening its sacred‑arts ministry and deepening the ways faith and creativity meet in worship.

A Celebration of Legacy, Leadership, and Living Tradition

Jesus & Jazz Leadership Expands Sacred‑Arts Vision

The Jesus & Jazz Service is not merely a musical gathering—it is an affirmation of legacy, leadership and living tradition. In celebrating Rev. Marable’s 7th Pastoral Anniversary and two years of Jesus & Jazz, the service testified to the enduring dialogue between faith and jazz, a conversation as timeless and resonant as the music itself. With new worship expressions on the horizon, Mt. Zion steps boldly into a future where sacred artistry continues to grow, evolve, and inspire.

At the heart of Jesus & Jazz is a leadership team committed to shaping a ministry where faith, culture, and artistic excellence meet with purpose. Under the spiritual direction of Rev. Eyesha Marable and the musical guidance of Minister of Music Philip Bingham, the program continues to grow as a defining expression of Mt. Zion AME Church’s sacred‑arts identity. Supported by the dedicated stewardship of Gregory Burrus, whose community partnerships and artistic curation help bring the vision to life, Jesus & Jazz has become a space where musicians, worshippers, scholars, and community members gather not only to honor tradition but to imagine what sacred creativity can become. As the ministry moves confidently into its third year—and as Blues & Blessings and Poetry & Praise join its expanding offerings—its leadership remains focused on nurturing a vibrant, inclusive, and spiritually grounded future for all who enter its doors.