Jazz Vespers: Austin Ford, Tyler Henderson, Guillermo Lopez, Aleksi Heinola at Saint Peter’s Church – New York, NY

Welcome to Jazz Vespers!

However you are connecting with Saint Peter’s, we hope you will find a wide and warm embrace. Among the skyscrapers and hustle and bustle of Midtown, this is a place of respite and renewal. Whether in person in our Sanctuary, or streaming from home. Jazz Vespers is free of charge with donations welcome at the door or online.

About Jazz Vespers

Jazz Vespers, NYC’s unique jazz prayer service, is held every Sunday at 5:00 P.M. Originating in 1965 with The Rev. John Garcia Gensel, he believed jazz to be “probably the best music for worship because it speaks to the existential situation of a human being. It is the personal expression of the person playing it.” Saint Peter’s Church, the “First Church of Jazz,” remains a spiritual home to jazz musicians and lovers of jazz. Founded by Ruth and Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Joe Newman and Sheila Jordan, among many others, today the community represents the best of the New York City jazz scene.

This Week We Welcome…

Austin Ford (trumpet)

Tyler Henderson (piano)

Guillermo Lopez (bass)

Aleksi Heinola (drums)

About Austin Ford

Austin Ford is a jazz trumpet player, composer, and educator from Portland, currently based in New York City. A graduate of the University of North Texas and the Manhattan School of Music, he has established himself as an active performer on the New York jazz scene and beyond.

Austin is the winner of the 2025 ITG Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Competition and has also earned top honors in other national trumpet competitions. He has performed with acclaimed artists including Maria Schneider, Tom Harrell, and Regina Carter, and appears regularly at leading venues throughout New York City. His performance credits include appearances on Broadway in the musical Just in Time, as well as engagements with some of the city’s premier jazz ensembles and venues.

About Tyler Henderson

Tyler Henderson is from Oneonta, New York. He began playing piano at the age of 5, and began by learning rock songs with the help of YouTube tutorials. He discovered jazz through the Vince Guaraldi Christmas album, and fell in love with jazz music. His family moved him and his sister to Houston in 2015, and they both attended the High School For Performing and Visual Arts. Hespent 4 years in Houston honing his skills and participating in programs such as YoungArts and the Herbie Hancock Institute Peer-to-Peer tours. He was accepted to Juilliard in 2019 and then moved to New York City in fall of that year. He completed a 5-year double degree program in spring of 2024, and now has a bachelor’s and master’s in jazz studies

About Guillermo Lopez

Guillermo López is a New York City–based bassist, composer, and educator originally from El Paso, Texas. Equally at home on double bass and electric bass, he performs across a wide range of styles including jazz, fusion, Latin, blues, and R&B.

A graduate of the University of North Texas, Guillermo earned his master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where he was also selected as a member of the prestigious Artist Diploma Ensemble. He is the recipient of the International Society of Bassists’ Scott LaFaro Prize, one of the most distinguished honors in jazz bass performance.

Guillermo has performed internationally in nine countries and has appeared at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, Royal Concertgebouw, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. His performance credits include collaborations with acclaimed artists such as Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Sean Jones, and Wycliffe Gordon. As a performer and educator, Guillermo continues to establish himself as one of the leading young bassists on today’s jazz scene.

About Aleksi Heinola

Aleksi Heinola is a Finnish jazz drummer specializing in Blue Note–style hard bop, particularly the music of the 1960s. He has led notable ensembles such as the Aleksi Heinola Quintet and Aleksi Heinola Quartet, featuring internationally acclaimed musicians. Based in New York City, Heinola is an active presence on the jazz scene, performing regularly at many of the city’s premier venues, including Smalls, Mezzrow, and The Django. Recognized for his deep knowledge of the hard bop tradition and dynamic musicianship, he has established himself as a sought-after performer and bandleader both in New York and internationally.

About Saint Peter’s

If you are looking for a religious community, this may be a place for you! We are a Sanctuary and Reconciling in Christ Parish of the ELCA. We are a bi-lingual English-speaking and Spanish-speaking community. We are Brown, Black, White and more. We are persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Some of us hold citizenship, others of us are Dreamers, asylees or seeking documentation. A good way to begin this journey is to participate in our Sunday liturgies.