Mark Lockheart

‘As each piece develops, moods come and go, but the sense of sanctuary remains, albeit made contemporary by the subtle phrasing and lyrical flutters of Lockheart’s sax’.

Financial Times ****

The project features works by English composers including Charles Villiers Stamford, John Blow, Henry Purcell, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, alongside new pieces written specially for the project by the late John Ashton Thomas, Mark Lockheart, as well as a homage to Duke Ellington’s sacred piece Come Sunday.  

While it is a coincidence that most of the music is all written by English composers, this unique collaboration can be seen as a celebration of the English church music tradition and the exploratory nature and common ground between jazz and classical improvisation.

A CD of Salvator Mundi recorded live at Temple Church, London, was released by Edition Records in June 2019 to great critical acclaim, followed by performances at Temple Church in London and Sherborne Abbey in Dorset.

"As each piece develops, moods come and go, but the sense of sanctuary remains, albeit made contemporary by the subtle phrasing and lyrical flutters of Lockheart’s sax. The jazz musician, having absorbed the church’s flavours, remains intact, and Sayer complements each train of thought. Thomas’s compositions also capture the essence of an English parish church through a modern lens to round out a project that avoids archaism while being rooted in the past. You’ll probably be reminded of Jan Garbareks collaborations with the Hilliard Ensemble but in an entirely positive way”.

- Financial Times (Mike Hobart)

“The power of music, to move and transport us in very personal and sometimes surprising directions, only seems to strengthen as the years roll on. Illustrating that boundless phenomenon is transcendental new album Salvator Mundi – a collaboration between one of the UK’s most treasured jazz saxophonists, Mark Lockheart, the organist and director of music at London’s Temple Church, Roger Sayer, and composer/arranger John Ashton Thomas.”

- AP Reviews. Read the complete review here.

“Salvator Mundi is a beautiful, meditative project that moves beautifully between jazz and classical music."

- Jazzenzo Magazine

2022 will see Salvator Mundi live in some locations in the UK. The currently booked dates and cities are:

2nd April 2022 - St Peter Mancroft, Norwich

30th April 2022 - Coventry Cathedral, Coventry

Ticket sales links will be added to the Concerts Page as soon as they are available. If you would like to be notified, please join Mark Lockheart’s mailing list using the form in the footer of the page.