The Journal

Issue date: 11/9/06 Section: LifeStyle

Media Credit: Jennifer Wenger St. John's United Methodist Church Outreach Series presented Webster University's jazz combo group, directed by instructor Tom Byrne (left) and led by Tenor Saxophonist Mike Smith (right) Nov. 5.

Audience members filed into a chapel, usually reserved for Sunday morning services, to listen to the smooth jazz sounds of one of Webster University's 10 jazz combo groups.

On Nov. 5 in the Singleton chapel of St. John's United Methodist Church located at 5000 Washington Place, one of Webster's jazz combos played a selection of songs for the St. John's United Methodist Church Outreach Series. The listening group was able to spread out among the 180 seats facing the pulpit, where the band began to set up their equipment. As the clock struck 4 p.m., the combo began with the song "Autumn Leaves" by Johnny Mercer.

Since September, the series has offered free Webster musical performances on the first and third Sunday of each month. This was the jazz combo's third performance. Due to the small size of the stage in the chapel, St. John's Pastor Wally Shearburn decided not to include theatrical performances in the series and instead kept them in the upstairs theatre. For now, the series only includes free musical performances.

The jazz combo that performed Nov. 5 included John Lum on drums, Mike Smith on tenor sax and Jay Raymond on guitar. The group, who plays together regularly for class, usually includes five student musicians, but the fifth was unable to play due to personal reasons. For the performance, Director of Jazz Studies Tom Byrne joined the students by playing his bass guitar.

Shearburn created the an outreach series as a way to bring the Central West End community together. After receiving financial assistance from a church member, Shearburn approached Michael Parkinson, chairman of Webster's music department, about being part of the outreach series.

"Webster was the first place I called," Shearburn said. "I could have called Saint Louis University or Washington University, but Webster seems to be ahead as far as performing arts. It just seemed more natural."

Parkinson suggested a Webster graduate student organize the event, since at the time the business school was practicing art management for their assistantships. Graduate Student Danielle Woolery organized the event and in turn received the stipend collected by Shearburn. Woolery said she was glad she chose the outreach series for her assistantship as a way to bring music to the Central West End Community.

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