Jazz Spiritualities
'Jazz Spiritualities: The Natural Noise of Good' will be a set of lectures and conversations exploring the ways in which jazz as a musical form has both inspired, and been inspired by, religious practice. Trinity Term 2026
Organised by the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture at Regent's Park College
The series comprises four lectures as listed below, and will culminate in a fifth event, a live concert at St Giles Church, Oxford, where John Law and Jon Lloyd will perform ‘Naissance’, 7:30pm Saturday 20th June – book your tickets now, we are expecting a full-house.
Jazz Spiritualities Series
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29th April 2026 - 'The Sacred and the Secular in Jazz: An Unbreakable Bond'
Kevin Le Gendre will open the Jazz Spiritualities series. 5pm, The Collier Room, Regent’s Park College, Oxford, speaking on ‘The Sacred and the Secular in Jazz: An Unbreakable Bond’.
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13th May 2026 - 'Sarah Vaughan's Spiritual Sonics'
Rommi Smith will continue the Jazz Spiritualities series, 5pm, The Collier Room, Regent’s Park College, Oxford, with a presentation titled ‘Sarah Vaughan’s Spiritual Sonics’.
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27th May 2026 - 'Alice Coltrane: The Sound of Renunciation'
The Jazz Spiritualities series continues at 5pm, The Collier Room, Regent’s Park College, Oxford with Andrew Taylor speaking on ‘Alice Coltrane: The Sound of Renunciation’.
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10th June 2026 - 'The Meaning of the Blues': Questions of hermeneutics, community and meaning through a jazz suite for peace.
The Jazz Spiritualities series continues at 5pm, The Collier Room, Regent’s Park College, Oxford
Renowned multi-instrumentalist Tim Boniface will speak on ‘The Meaning of the Blues: Questions of hermeneutics, community and meaning through a jazz suite for peace’.
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20th June 2026 - 'Naissance' Live in Concert
John Law and Jon Lloyd round off the series with a special performance of ‘Naissance’ live in concert at 7:30pm in St Giles Church, Oxford.