Sunday Series #5: August 14, 2026

Sunday Series #5: August 14, 2026 (Melba’s Kitchen)

On Friday evening, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church worked with Sunday Series to host Melba’s Kitchen. For those unfamiliar with Melba’s Kitchen, they are an all-women’s big jazz band. The 14 members come together to perform and celebrate works by Black women, who often did not receive the proper recognition and praise at the time of their work. Their name comes from Melba Liston, a prominent composer and trombonist from the mid-1900s. She was the first woman to play alongside men in a band, but is most famous for her arrangements and support she provided to other jazz and pop musicians including Marvin Gaye, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, and Randy Weston. She worked as a ghost-writer, so she was not properly appreciated for many years until people uncovered the secret genius behind some of these artists’ songs.

Despite the chilly evening, the church was filled with warmth and came to life as soon as the event started. More than 70 attendees listened as the sounds of brass, percussion, and keyboard filled the space. Making the performance even more special was the accompaniment of a vocalist, Deborah Tisdale. Tisdale sang countless songs, and, with the help of the band, had changed some of the lyrics to fit current political themes. 

The refreshments and familiar faces brought an intimate feel to the performance. As the evening drew on and the music became livelier, people began to cut loose and start dancing. The aisles of the congregation were filled with swaying, spinning, and rocking around. This was truly a special performance. We thank Melba’s Kitchen for providing such a fun event, completely free of charge to attend.

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