Jesus and Jazz A Service of Praise, Power & Jazz featuring Organist Radam Schwartz led by Rev Eyesha Marable

🌟 Pastor Eyesha Marable & Mt. Zion AME Church Present 🎶 Jesus and Jazz — A Service of Praise, Power & Jazz

Join us Saturday, July 27 for a spirit-filled musical celebration as we welcome legendary Hammond B3 organist Radam Schwartz and gifted tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Romero to our sanctuary!

From gospel love messages, mental health inspirations to soulful jazz music, this service will be anointed with rhythm and reverence. Come expecting joy, inspiration, and the kind of music that ministers to your soul.

📍 Mt. Zion AME Church — 56 Church St, Millburn, NJ 🕊️ Free Admission • All Are Welcome ⏰ 11:30 AM 🔗 RSVP

Let the Spirit move and the music uplift — Jesus and Jazz is calling! 💫

Lineup

Rodrigo Romero-Tenor Sax

Motoki Mihara-bass

Khallil Kwame Bell-drums

Radam Schwartz, piano

Radam Schwartz, piano

Radam Schwartz is a powerhouse of soul-jazz expression and one of the most revered Hammond B3 organists and jazz pianists of his generation. With a career spanning over four decades, he’s known for blending gospel-rooted groove with hard bop fire, creating music that’s both spiritually resonant and rhythmically rich.

🎹 Musical Legacy & Collaborations

• Played with legends like Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, David “Fathead” Newman, Arthur Prysock, and Russell Malone
• Featured on over 40 recordings, including 7 as a leader and 2 as a co-leader
• His album Organized (Muse Records, 1995) is listed in the Hammond B3 Bible as one of the essential organ records of all time

🔥 Signature Sound & Style

• Known for his deep gospel influence, fiery improvisation, and soulful phrasing
• Seamlessly switches between organ and piano, often leading ensembles that fuse jazz, funk, and spiritual uplift
• His big band project Message from Groove and GW showcases him playing all bass lines on organ, a groundbreaking feat

🎓 Educator & Mentor

• Served as music director at the Jazz Institute of New Jersey for nearly 20 years
• Taught at Jazz House Kids, Rutgers Newark, and other programs, mentoring countless young musicians

🎶 Live Legacy

• Hosted New Jersey’s longest-running jam session for 30 years, starting at the Peppermint Lounge and continuing at Crossroads in Garwood
• A regular performer at Showmans in Harlem, one of the last true organ clubs in NYC

Radam’s artistry is more than technical brilliance—it’s a ministry of sound. His performances feel like sermons, his solos like testimonies. For “Jesus and Jazz” he’s not just a headliner—he’s a vessel of musical praise.

🥁 @Kahlil Kwame Bell — Percussionist, Sonic Storyteller

Kahlil Kwame Bell brings a transcendent pulse to the Jesus and Jazz ensemble — a percussionist whose rhythms carry soul, memory, and divine intention. With over 150 recordings and a global career that spans stage, studio, and sanctuary, Bell transforms every drum stroke into a message of healing and praise. A lifelong student of West African tradition, Kahlil’s artistry is rooted in spiritual depth. From the ancient wisdom of the Mali Empire to modern improvisational fire, he bridges past and present using over 1,000 percussion instruments, including his signature “slappaphone” — an extension of voice and heart. He’s performed with greats like Prince, Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis, and The Last Poets, yet it’s in moments like this — gathered in worship and community — where his music speaks most clearly.

🎷 Rodrigo Romero — Tenor Saxophonist

A Peruvian-born saxophonist and educator, Rodrigo’s artistry is rooted in Afro-Peruvian rhythms and elevated by the melodic freedom of gospel and jazz. He’s performed with ensembles led by Radam Schwartz, Eddie Allen, and Carrie Jackson, and has subbed in the Roy Hargrove Legacy Big Band and Shout Big Band. His sound is expressive, lyrical, and spiritually resonant — a perfect match for worship through music. Rodrigo is also a devoted teacher with Jazz House Kids and the Paterson Music Project, shaping the next generation of musicians with passion and purpose. His forthcoming debut album Libre Esencia reflects a message of freedom, faith, and cultural heritage.

🎸 Motoki Mihara — Bassist

Motoki Mihara brings warmth, soul, and quiet strength to the rhythm section. With deep roots in the New York jazz scene and performances alongside artists like Mala Waldron, Rich Rodriguez, and Mark Capon, Mihara is a versatile bassist whose playing elevates every ensemble he joins. Equally fluent on upright and electric bass, Motoki’s tone is grounded and expressive — anchoring the groove while leaving space for spiritual improvisation. His sensitive touch and melodic instincts make him a natural fit for faith-infused jazz, and his contributions at Jesus and Jazz are more than musical — they’re ministry in motion.

🎤 Lynette Sheard — Vocalist, Actor, Advocate

Lynette Sheard is a powerhouse performer whose voice spans five octaves and genres from jazz and gospel to soul and pop. A celebrated vocalist, actor, producer, and vocal coach, she’s known for roles in Dream Girls, Smokey Joe’s Café, Ragtime, and Avenue Q, where Broadway World hailed her as “fabulous with a voice that shakes the rafters.” She’s also a passionate mental health advocate, serving as Director of the NJ Mental Health Players and blending creativity with community healing. At Jesus and Jazz, Lynette brings not just talent — but testimony. Her voice lifts, inspires, and ministers with every note.

🎤 Laverne Williams — Mental Health & Wellness Messenger

Laverne Williams is a compassionate voice for emotional wellness and spiritual healing. As founder of the PEWS (Promoting Emotional Wellness and Spirituality) Program and longtime leader at the Mental Health Association in New Jersey, she has spent over 38 years bridging faith and mental health in communities of color. At Jesus and Jazz, Laverne delivers a message of hope, resilience, and renewal — reminding us that wellness is sacred, and healing begins with understanding.

Leadership Team - Jesus and Jazz

🎤 Rev. Eyesha Marable — Pastor, Liturgical Artist, Community Visionary

Rev. Eyesha Marable is the inspired pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church in Millburn, NJ, where she leads with grace, creativity, and a deep commitment to worship through movement and music. A trained dancer and ordained Itinerant Elder, she is the founder of the National Liturgical Dance Network, gathering and empowering worshippers across the globe through sacred dance.

With degrees in journalism, nonprofit management, organizational development, and divinity, Rev. Eyesha blends intellect and spirit in every aspect of her ministry. She served for 14 years at Greater Allen Cathedral in New York, where she helped shape worship conferences and liturgical programming that touched thousands.

Currently serving as Director of Community Engagement at NJPAC, she bridges the arts and faith communities with visionary leadership. At Jesus and Jazz, Rev. Eyesha brings not only pastoral presence but a joyful invitation to praise — where every movement, every melody, and every moment is an offering.

🎹 Phillip Bingham — Pianist, Composer, Worship Leader

Phillip Bingham is a seasoned pianist and composer whose music bridges gospel tradition with jazz sophistication. With decades of experience in church ministry and concert performance, Phillip brings a heartfelt sensitivity to every note he plays. His style is marked by soulful phrasing, rich harmonies, and a deep understanding of worship as both art and offering.
Whether leading congregations in praise or collaborating with fellow musicians in sacred settings, Phillip’s piano becomes a vessel for spiritual connection. At Jesus and Jazz, he offers more than accompaniment — he brings a musical ministry that uplifts, inspires, and invites reflection.

🎶 Gregory Burrus Productions — Curating Community Through Music

Gregory Burrus Productions is a dynamic force in New Jersey’s cultural landscape, producing vibrant jazz festivals, faith-based celebrations, and community-centered events that uplift and inspire. Led by live music curator and community advocate Gregory Burrus, the organization blends artistic excellence with grassroots engagement — turning sidewalks, sanctuaries, and city squares into stages for joy and connection.
Signature events include the Orange Food Truck and Jazz Festival, Jesus and Jazz at Mt. Zion AME Church, and ongoing showcases at Clements Place Jazz in Newark, where Burrus partners with the Institute of Jazz Studies and NJPAC to spotlight emerging and legendary talent. In 2025, Gregory Burrus Productions also proudly collaborated with the North 2 Shore Festival, presenting powerful performances like Jazz and Joy featuring Lynette Sheard and Nat Adderley Jr., and Jazz and Jamming with Charisa the Violin Diva — blending music, mental health awareness, and community celebration2.
With a passion for storytelling, cultural preservation, and inclusive programming, Gregory Burrus Productions continues to turn every event into a soulful experience — one note, one neighborhood, one unforgettable moment at a time.