A Mass setting by Jools Holland

On Sunday morning, I heard part of a Mass setting played on the radio. It was unusual, but I did think it was nevertheless very reverent. I have just listened to it again on a CD as I drove home.

Some readers of this blog will by now be thinking that I have lost it completely, because Jools Holland is a rhythm and blues musician. Well, why should there not be a rhythm and blues setting of the Mass? The Christian mystery is not confined or limited by any one cultural context; the universality of the mystery should allow it to achieve an expression in the terms of any human culture. If it can gain an expression in, for example, a scientific culture, why should it not gain an expression in a particular musical culture?

Jools Holland's most recent album is The Informer. Along with the main CD comes a second CD. This second CD contains live recordings from concerts of religious music (rhythm/blues) at Wells and Rochester Cathedrals. Two of the tracks on this CD are from Jools Holland's setting of the Mass. Track 8 is named as "Kyrie" on the CD insert, but is actually the "Sanctus". This is the track I heard on the radio and rather liked.

If I want to cause complete consternation (or to demonstrate my street cred), I will use it at my next Eucharistic Adoration.

If you want to try to listen to the track, you could try the "listen again" function on the BBC Radio 2 website. You need to look for Aled Jones Sunday morning programme, and try to spot the interview with Jools Holland at about an hour and half into the programme. This should be available until the weekend.