King, a native of Columbiana and graduate of the University of Montevallo, played the trumpet, sang like Louis Armstrong in “What a Wonderful World” and led the congregation through the service.

King said black slaves incorporated two important components into jazz — syncopation and participation.

“In the field, someone would shout something and someone would say something back,” King said. “That made its way into jazz music.”

As for participation, each member of the band responded to Pastor Brian Wyatt’s reading of Psalm 150:1-6 by praising with the trumpet, trombone, piano, tuba, organ and drums.

“It’s appropriate we use jazz,” King said. “It has a strongly African influence. On a personal level, playing jazz for me is getting together with friends and improvising. It’s very spiritual.

“Jazz is an evolving sort of art,” he added. “It’s changing today, and I think it’ll always be changing.”