Music & Culture Religion

Wade In The Water Ep. 21: Jazz And The Wider World Of The Sacred (Part I)

Duke Ellington at the piano at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, during a British tour in 1963.
Duke Ellington at the piano at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, during a British tour in 1963. John Pratt / Getty Images

Jazz as sacred music within and beyond the boundaries of the organized African American church.

Song List

  • Eric Reed, "Wade in the Water"

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band, "When the Saints Go Marching In"

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band, "Just a Closer Walk with Thee"

  • Rahsaan Roland Kirk, "Red Beans and Rice"

  • Duke Ellington, "Park at 106th"

  • Duke Ellington, "In the Beginning God"

  • Duke Ellington and Mahalia Jackson, "Come Sunday"

  • Mary Lou Williams, "Medi I"

  • Mary Lou Williams, "Gloria"

  • Mary Lou Williams, "St. Martin De Porres"

  • John Coltrane, "Spiritual"

  • John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme"

  • McCoy Tyner, "Contemplation"

Wade in the Water is a 26-part series, originally released in 1994, that celebrates African American sacred music and traditions. To learn more about the series, click here. For more episodes click here or listen on the go with the NPR One app.

This series was produced by Judi Moore Latta and Sonja Williams.

Stream The Playlist

Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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