Effortlessly developing a hybrid gospel-jazz sound, saxophonist Jermaine Mondaine – in the spirit of greats like Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler and others who inhabit both worlds successfully – brings God into the house even when he plays for secular audiences.
In addition to sharing his dynamic gospel/jazz with thousands of the faithful in his hometown of Muskogee, OK, Jermaine has made an increasingly strong impact on the national contemporary urban jazz scene. His 2015 breakthrough single “Going Higher” featuring Tim Waters and legendary R&B/jazz guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., reached the Top 25 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs and National Airplay Charts. That song and another key track from his critically acclaimed debut album Don’t Let The Moment Pass You By, “Over and Over Again (You Just Keep On Blessing Me),” scored significant airplay on SiriusXM’s Watercolors.
On any given Sunday these past years, he plays at The Bridge at Christ Church in Muskogee; at Bridge, he is both a regular presence in the worship band and associate pastor delivering sermons. His deep involvement in church has led to opportunities to play on behalf of several prominent ministries (led by Pastor Sharon Daugherty and Bishop Noel Jones) and with musical heroes in the gospel and jazz worlds, including the late Wayman Tisdale, legendary bassist/producer Marcus Miller, Grammy Award winning trumpeter Phil Driscoll, singer/songwriter Dennis Jernigan and country music duo The Swons, who have appeared on NBC’s “The Voice.”
Growing up in church, Jermaine often heard the inspiring adage that “When praises go up, blessings come down.” Over time, as he made the saxophone the center of his ever-evolving musical life and ministry, he realized that praise had the power to take that one step further: “When praises go up, the Blesser comes down. God inhabits the praises of His people. Jermaine's mission is to usher in God's presence through music everywhere he plays.