In the 1960s and ‘70s, legendary jazz musician Duke Ellington toured the country performing what he called “Sacred Concerts.” In these original pieces Ellington fused sacred texts with jazz. They’re scored for choir and band, and wherever Ellington performed these concerts he used local choirs.

Brady Allred will recreate one of these sacred concerts Saturday with his Salt Lake Choral Artists. “I’d venture to say this is the first time that this has been done in the area,” Allred told Reichel Recommends. Joining the singers will be Caleb Chapman’s Super Band and soloist Jennifer Madsen.

For these sacred pieces, Ellington intentionally wrote simple choral parts that contain a lot of unison writing and spoken text, Allred said. “He had to do that because he didn’t use professional choirs.” For the concert, however, Allred is using a version that was arranged by Danish jazz greats John Høybye and Peder Pedersen. “John did a nice job with the choral parts, filling them out with four-part textures and using nice harmonies.”

Rehearsal with Brady Allred, the Salt Lake Choral Artists, Crescent Super Band and tap dancer Jon Scott

Høybye and Pedersen also picked the pieces for the set the SLCA will perform. “There are a lot of pieces Ellington wrote for these sacred concerts, and they [Høybye and Pedersen] did a great job choosing what to put into their set.” Some of the pieces are for full choir and band and some are solos, Allred added. Among the movements are “Come Sunday” and “Heaven” and a section Ellington called “Freedom Suite.” “That section has songs promoting equality and freedom.”

There is also a movement whose title had Allred baffled until he googled it. “There is a movement for soprano and piano titled ‘TGTBT’ in the score. I didn’t know what it was until I looked it up. It turns out the letters stand for ‘Too Good to Be Titled.”

One of the movements, “David Danced Before the Lord,” will feature tap dancer Jon Scott. “Ellington used a tap dancer,” Allred said. “I think that’ll be fun for the audience.”

The concert will also include the United States premiere of Gloria for choir and big band by the young German composer Wolfram Buchenberg. “This will fit in nicely with Ellington’s music,” Allred said.

Crescent Super Band will play a few Ellington pieces, including “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” and SLCA’s newly formed Youth Honor Choir and the Women’s Choir will sing a few numbers as well.

• CONCERT DETAILS
• What: “Praise God and Dance: Duke Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert,’” Salt Lake Choral Artists, Brady Allred, conductor
•  Venue: Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah
• Time and Date: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., March 2
• Tickets: $20 general, $10 students
• Phone: 801-232-7521
• Web: www.saltlakechoralartists.org