FBC Pell City member takes jazz band to Carnegie Hall

First Baptist Church, Pell City, member Amy Drinkwater calls Christian jazz an emerging genre of music. 
  
As one of its premiere purveyors, she should know, and judging by her holiday plans, she might be right.
  
Drinkwater fronts the Magic City Jazz Ensemble, a collection of five talented Birmingham-area musicians committed to an authentic jazz sound and an authentic faith.  
  
“God just brought all these wonderful men into my life, and we’ve just become great friends,” Drinkwater said of the band, which has been together for nearly two years. 
  
Come December, they will trade the serenity of Magic City sanctuaries for the exciting upper echelons of Big Apple entertainment — specifically, Carnegie Hall.
  
“It’s really just a God thing,” Drinkwater said. 
  
The “it” of which she speaks is Carnegie Hall’s A Christmas Jazz Celebration, a concert made possible by the relationship between the Carnegie board of directors and Christian Music Presenters (CMP), a promotional company. 
  
“We’re one of four acts invited to be a part; we didn’t pursue it,” Drinkwater said. “We had to raise support to get there, but it’s just like going into the missions field — you have to raise your support.” 
  
CMP operates out of Nashville and is headed by two Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduates, Randall Bayne and Roy Hayes, as well as Birmingham-­native Jim Gibson, retired director of music, publishing and recording at LifeWay Christian Resources.
  
According to Bayne, the three CMP leaders choose to work with artists “based on spiritual integrity, musical excellence and ministry readiness, and our lead group from the jazz side is Amy Drinkwater and the Magic City Jazz Ensemble.” 
  
“The interesting thing is that she is a true jazz singer,” Bayne said of Drinkwater, calling her musical offerings “almost magical.”
  
“[Her music is] reminiscent of the big band jazz era of the late ’40s, early ’50s. It’s a very worshipful experience but in the stylistic approach of classic jazz. She has that Rosemary Clooney, smooth, elegant style to her,” he said. 
  
Drinkwater is ecstatic about the CMP endorsement.
  
“They’re not advertising this as a Christian jazz show, but every artist is endorsed by Christian Music Presenters, so we do have a ministry goal,” she said. 
  
Drinkwater’s pastor at the St. Clair Baptist Association church, where she regularly performs, agrees. 
  
“Amy does a great job; she’s real smooth,” Pastor John Thweatt said. “I don’t listen to a lot of jazz, but her music really draws you in. Our church has been behind her in prayer and support in a lot of things in this whole process.”
  
While Drinkwater — a ­national-­anthem natural who regularly sings for Birmingham Barons fans at the Hoover Met — is used to the big stage, she anxiously awaits the Carnegie performance. 
  
And her trip to New York is marked by anticipation beyond that of the typical tourist. 
  
Yes, the boughs of holly will be nice, said Drinkwater, who is prepping for some “serious shopping” during her New York Christmas. But the reason for the season is as fresh in her mind as the pair of designer shoes she will be hunting and the snow she hopes to see. 
  
“We’ll be doing all the things like seeing the Empire State Building, Ellis Island and Ground Zero. [New York is] a wounded city, and to be able to spread a little joy and good will and kindness is just a joy and a big responsibility,” Drinkwater said. 
  
Bayne echoes the same sentiment, specifically in regards to Christian jazz.
  
“That style of music speaks well and creates many open doors for ministry,” he said. 
  
Drinkwater said the Carnegie performance song selection will include standards like “White Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland.” 
  
“It’s for Christians as well as seekers,” she said. “It’s not something you have to sit and think hard about, but the message is there and sometimes simple is best and maybe they’ll hear the gospel and maybe trust the Lord in their lives. That’s our goal, truly.” 
  
A Christmas Jazz Celebration will be held at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. EST. 
  
For more information about the Magic City Jazz Ensemble, visit www.sunflowerministries.com.