A Perfect Evening of Jazz at Lovell’s Brick Church

There are some evenings in the Mount Washington Valley when you’re reminded just how special it is to live here—and last night was one of them.

On a beautiful early September evening, I headed over to Lovell, Maine, for a concert by the Bradley Jazz Collective at the Brick Church for the Performing Arts. Tucked away on Christian Hill Road, the Brick Church is one of those wonderful local treasures that feels like a secret—although anyone who has attended a concert there knows it deserves to be much better known.

The setting itself is part of the experience. Housed in a beautifully restored historic brick church, the venue is intimate, comfortable and wonderfully suited to live music. There’s something particularly magical about sitting in an old church surrounded by neighbors and friends, waiting for the musicians to take the stage.

And then the music begins.

An Evening with Wayne Shorter

The Bradley Jazz Collective—Tom Robinson on piano, Mike Sakash on saxophone, Al Hospers on bass and Craig Byan Jr. on drums—has been playing together for more than a decade in various musical settings. Their chemistry was immediately apparent.

The evening's program celebrated the music of legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter, whose work influenced jazz for more than five decades. The quartet brought his compositions to life with a combination of precision, creativity and improvisation.

Pieces such as Infant Eyes, Speak No Evil and Tom Thumb were woven into an evening that was as much about the conversation between the musicians as it was about the individual songs. There was a wonderful sense that anything might happen next—and that the musicians were having as much fun playing as we were listening.

Mike Sakash also shared stories and background about Shorter and the music, adding another dimension to the performance. It was a great reminder that live music isn't simply about hearing a song; it's about understanding where the music came from and experiencing it together.

Why the Brick Church Is So Special

What I love about the Brick Church is that it doesn't feel like a concert hall in the traditional sense.

It feels like community.

The audience was close to the performers, the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and there was plenty of conversation before the concert and during intermission. You could easily imagine generations of Lovell residents gathering in this same building over the years—only now, instead of Sunday services, the space is filled with jazz, folk music, classical performances, storytelling and other wonderful programs.

The Brick Church's summer concert series has become an important part of the cultural life of the Lovell and Mount Washington Valley area. And at only a short drive from Conway and the surrounding communities, it's an easy—and very worthwhile—destination for an evening out.

One More Reason to Love Living Here

One of the things I enjoy most about living in the Mount Washington Valley is the incredible variety of experiences that are right in our backyard.

You can spend the afternoon hiking, kayaking on one of our beautiful lakes, wandering through a local village, or enjoying dinner at a favorite restaurant—and then finish the day listening to outstanding musicians in a historic little church in the Maine woods.

You don't have to travel to Boston or Portland to find exceptional entertainment.

Sometimes, all you have to do is take a beautiful country road to Lovell.

The Brick Church for the Performing Arts is located at 502 Christian Hill Road in Lovell, Maine. Their summer season features a wonderful mix of music and performing arts, making it well worth keeping an eye on their calendar for the next concert.

For me, last night's performance by the Bradley Jazz Collective was one of those perfect North Country evenings: great music, a beautiful setting, good company—and another reminder of why this corner of Maine and New Hampshire is such a wonderful place to call home.