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Count Basie - Don't Cry Baby

Faith is another strong concept that ties Jazz and Gospel music together. A spiritually guided direction gives sustenance to our hopes and dreams, from a biblical standpoint. The other direction of faith is found in daring to articulate an artistic vision and expressing something that’s both broader in scope and far more personal. 

In Gospel music, faith is essential, while in Jazz music, it’s more of a distant goal. Though aims may differ however, both paths continually influence one another. For example, gospel music would not have evolved apart from the artists who felt the need to hear and express something beyond the ecclesiastical music that preceded them.

In an interview with New York jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator John Raymond, conducted by TGC, The Gospel Coalition, considered this question, How has becoming a Christian shaped your work?... The Lord has used Jazz to make me into someone who trusts him. Jazz is improvised and messy. When performing, I don’t know exactly where my fellow bandmates or I are going. This spontaneity runs right up against my impulse to control. But God has used jazz to teach me to trust his grace, let go of my grasp, and live moment by moment through the Spirit. And this hasn’t just shaped how I play music, it has also shaped how I parent, how I teach, and more.


Count Basie - Don't Cry Baby
  • Composed by: Saul Bernie, James P. Johnson, Stella Unger
  • Released: 1959
  • Genre: Jazz

"Count Basie Orchestra's great 18 member orchestra is still continuing the excellent history started by Basie of stomping and shouting the blues, as well as refining those musical particulars that allow for the deepest and most moving of swing."

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