The Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist University presents its fall Jazz Concert on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Keith House Band Room on the third floor of Classic Hall on the Fayette campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

There are two groups performing in this concert—The Vocal Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Claude R. Westfall, director of choral activities, and The CMU Swift Kicks and Hot Licks T-Berry Basement Band, under the direction of Jo Ellen and Dr. Ron Shroyer, both adjunct professors of music.

The Swift Kicks and Hot Licks Band will be performing pieces such as Duke Ellington’s “Concerto for Cootie,” Joseph Kosma’s “Autumn Leaves,” Victor Young’s “When I Fall in Love,” Ray Charles’s “Hallelujah I Just Love Him So,” Ronald Shroyer’s “Ron ‘n’ Ron,” and more.  The Vocal Jazz Ensemble will be singing Freddie Mercury’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Hoyt Axton’s “Joy to the World,” “Waltz for Debbie” arranged by Peder Karlsson, and more.     

Comprising The Swift Kicks and Hot Licks Band are:

Saxophones—Brad Smith (Mexico), Emily Schultz (Bloomington, Ill.), Donald Heaton (Chillicothe), Mary Rose Lehman (Robertsville), and Michael Utlaut (Saint Charles); trumpets—Dominik Lehman ’12 (Robertsville), Lakyn Baker (Fayette), Joslyn West (Macon), Ann Marie Pelley (Saint Peters), Courtney Clark (Chillicothe), and Rachel Richard (Lake Ozark); Trombones—Johnathan Daniels ’12 (Wooldridge), Lara Bendall (Troy), Brian Thode (Crystal City), and Max Cassidy (Platte City); and the rhythm section—Pearse Hutson (Boonville), Adam Canote ’12 (Columbia), Zach Canote (Clark), Josh Hall ( Chapel Hill, Tenn.), Nathan Gargus (Owensville), and Caleb White (Hallsville).
The Jazz Ensemble includes:

Sopranos Calley Rodgers (Lebanon) and Hannah Utlaut (St. Charles); altos Tanjie Hoover (New Franklin) and Jamie Rector (Jefferson City); tenors Cal Bergthold (Fayette) and Hershel Williams III (Buffalo); and basses Dane Johnson (Columbia) and Austin Long (Monroe City).