Jazz vespers encores Saturday at First Presbyterian

It may not quite be a holy triumvirate, but the combination of jazz, blues and church sounds inspired nonetheless.

This should be especially evident at Saturday’s 5th annual Summer Jazz in the Courtyard Concert, which — true to its name — will be held in the courtyard of downtown’s First Presbyterian Church. The open-air performance will celebrate the release of “Jazz Vespers, Vol. 2.”

The 11-song release will be available for purchase at the concert. The album features nationally acclaimed San Diego jazz flutist Holly Hofmann, guitar mainstay Bob Boss, local blues crusaders Whitney Shay and Nathan James, pianist/saxophonist Archie Thompson, and more.

Thompson and First Presbyterian Pastor Jerry Andrews are the driving forces behind the annual concert series. It was created, Andrews notes: “to help a historic church with an inter-generational membership and the new residents of a renewed city introduce themselves to each other.”

Since 1965, the oldest ongoing jazz vespers service/concert series in the nation has been held each Sunday at New York Saint Peter’s Church, in the heart of Manhattan. Should First Presbyterian wish to expand its music offerings, Saint Peter’s 45-year-old All Nite Soul jazz festival — held each Columbus Day weekend Sunday, from dusk to not quite dawn — may well be worth emulating.

5th annual Summer Jazz in the Courtyard Concert

With: Archie Thompson & The Arch Tones, Holly Hofmann, Nathan James, Bob Boss, Whitney Shay & Tony Davis

When: 4:30 p.m. Saturday (doors open at 4)

Where: First Presbyterian Church courtyard, 320 Date St., downtown

Tickets: $10 at the door (unreserved seating, first come, first served)

Phone: (619) 232-7513

Online: fpcsd.org