Behind the mic: Evening Jazz with Richard Mingay

Major Richard Mingay (William Booth College) talks to Lyn Woods about producing Evening Jazz with Richard Mingay for Salvationist Radio.

What’s in the show?

It focuses mainly on jazz and gospel music. Each show includes a Christian thought and a word of encouragement. I hope listeners will feel nourished in their faith.

What drew you to jazz?

I come from a musical family. My mother was a Guildhall graduate in singing and piano and my father was in the International Staff Band in the 1960s. From six years old I was encouraged to take music lessons, so I studied piano, taking exams, and have kept learning pretty much ever since.

In the past 10 years I’ve taken jazz piano lessons and, over the past 18 months, I’ve played jazz piano music at a restaurant. I get to meet lovely people and I jazz up a hymn tune or two – it’s always appreciated (I think).

Have you been on radio before?

Years ago, I presented a weekly Sunday morning show from Pebble Mill Studios. I also wrote and presented Christian material for BBC Radio Merseyside.

How do jazz and the Army go together?

The Army has been blessed with many great musicians who have inspired us. While I think it’s been hard for Army musicians to branch out from our original music blueprint, this has been happening more and more. I know of a number of young people in the Army exploring the jazz scene.

I believe there is a bigger audience than we think wanting to hear good jazz. Gospel has always been a major influence on jazz and the link between jazz and faith is inextricable. There are some wonderful young professional musicians, who are also professing Christians, emerging all over the world. I look forward to sharing their talents with listeners – it will be a joy to do that in Jesus’ name.