About The Jazz Nativity
Learn how to produce the Jazz Nativity in your community, meet our composter and director, watch interviews with past performers and more.
Produce The Jazz Nativity
You can produce this joyful, inspiring show in your community! It has been performed with local casts throughout the country: in Utica, NY, Colorado Springs, Evanston and Chicago, IL, Topeka, KS and Greensboro, NC…. Audiences of all faiths and beliefs love it.
Anne Phillips
ANNE PHILLIPS — singer, composer, arranger, conductor, producer, and known as a “Survivor of the Music Business” (the title of her one-woman show).
Arriving in NY at 19, after attending Oberlin College—where she sang on the renowned Brubeck at Oberlin concert and had a weekly radio show—she began by playing in clubs, singing demos for songwriters like Carole King and Burt Bacharach, and on TV shows like the Perry Como Show with the Ray Charles Singers.
She was signed by Roulette Records for what has become a classic album, Born To Be Blue. Her career continued by writing and arranging many commercials, i.e., Pepsi, Revlon, Sheraton Hotel. Her many shows and song cycles have been performed in NY and other cities. The most well-known is Bending Towards the Light … A Jazz Nativity.
Beth Ann Kennedy
Beth Ann has been producing and directing live theatrical events since the mid-90’s throughout the US, primarily in Washington DC and NYC. Her plan after graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studying at Berklee College of Music was the life of an actor/singer/dancer and she has had multiple opportunities to do exactly that, but the role of director has been her strongest. In 1995, Beth Ann established Aunahil, as a live event production company. Aunahil has produced, written, and/or directed over 150 custom designed theatrical productions.
30 years ago, Beth Ann first directed Bending Towards the Light...a Jazz Nativity and has had a love affair with the show ever since. With her dear friend, Anne Phillips, she has directed it in NYC and cities around the US. In 2023 she produced and directed an extremely successful Premiere of the ...Jazz Nativity in Montana. This year she is producing the ...Jazz Nativity in Bozeman, MT AGAIN!
Jazz Nativity Interviews with the Performers
Join Anne Phillips and Beth Ann Kennedy for these intimate interviews with the stars from the Jazz Nativity over the years!
The Jazz Nativity Gallery
Click on any image to see it in more detail & to view the entire gallery.
Past Performances & Performers
Lionel Hampton KING
Tito Puente KING
Dave Brubeck SPECIAL GUEST
Clark Terry KING
Charles Kuralt HOST
New York Voices SINGERS
Jon Faddis KING
Jimmy Slyde KING
Al Grey KING
Paquito D’Rivera KING
Jackie Cain & Roy Kral ANGELS
Slide Hampton KING
Savion Glover SPECIAL GUEST
Hank Jones SPECIAL GUEST
Frank Wess SPECIAL GUEST
Jimmy Heath SPECIAL GUEST
Candido BAND
Arturo O’Farrill SPECIAL GUEST
Steve Turre KING
Terell Stafford SPECIAL GUEST
Ingrid Jensen QUING
Dave Valentin KING
Byron Stripling KING
Jerry Dodgion BAND
Benny Powell KING
Gene Bertoncini BAND
Benny Wallace SPECIAL GUEST
Ursula Dudziak SPECIAL GUEST
Toots Thielemans SPECIAL GUEST
Bill Charlap BAND
Adam Makowicz SPECIAL GUEST
Milt Grayson SHEPHARD
Sweets Edison SPECIAL GUEST
Cookie Cook KING
Harold Nicholas KING
Lew Soloff KING & BAND
Ron Carter BAND
Helen Merrill MARY
Tommy Flanagan BAND
Marvin Stamm BAND
Scott Robinson BAND
Anton Denner BAND
Lewis Nash BAND
Marcus Printup BAND
Ted Nash BAND
Terrence McNight HOST
Sheila Anderson HOST
Houston Person KING
Stanley Turrentine KING
Phil Woods KING & SHEPHERD
Chris Brubeck SPECIAL GUEST
Jon Gordon BAND
George Mraz BAND
Jon Hendricks KING & SPECIAL GUEST
Charlie Caranicus BAND
Brenda Feliciano ANGEL
Doc Cheatham KING
Honi Coles KING
Karrin Allyson MARY
Gail Wynters MARY
Warren Vache SPECIAL GUEST
Wycliffe Gordon KING
Royal Bopsters VOCAL GROUP
Amy London MARY
Bobby Sanabria SPECIAL GUEST
Maurice Chestnut KING
Max Pollak KING
Tim Horner BAND
Dean Johnson BAND
Art Baron KING & BAND
Charles Osgood HOST
Dr. Billy Taylor HOST
Michael Mossman BAND
Chembo Carniel BAND
Enrique Sanchez SPECIAL GUEST
Ray Vega KING
David de Jesus SPECIAL GUEST
Claudia Acunia MARY
Bob Kindred BAND
Mel Lewis BAND
Will Anderson SHEPHERD
Eddie Montiero SPECIAL GUEST
The Foreman Twins SPECIAL GUESTS
Christine Jensen SPECIAL GUEST
Peter Anderson SPECIAL GUEST
Bobby Sanabria SPECIAL GUEST
Dr. Billy Taylor HOST & SPECIAL GUEST
Stephanie McGuire SINGER
Dee Daniels MARY
Hilary Kole MARY
Kirk Nurock SPECIAL GUEST
Alan Harris SINGER
Leonarda Priore SINGER
Buy Tickets for the 2025 Season
See for yourself why Bending Towards The Light… A Jazz Nativity is cherished as a timeless holiday tradition, bringing together music, joy, and community each Christmas season.
