Jazz fuses Soteria Church with Everett community

Published 10:33 pm Friday, October 30, 2009

EVERETT — Soteria Church didn’t start as a jazz church according to pastor Mike Rydman.

Still, the jazz aficionado and valve-trombonist likes the soulful direction the church has taken since The Northwest Jazz Collective was formed there in 2003.

“In a lot of ways its become who we are,” Rydman said. “It’s our niche.”

The Northwest Jazz Collective is comprised of friends and church members who occasionally met at music gigs. Soon, the group was playing during worship service on Sunday mornings at North Middle School.

“I kept sneaking them in as opening and closing numbers at church,” pastor Chuck Hickman said. “One thing led to another and we started getting booked outside of the church as the group.”

The Northwest Jazz Collective includes Hickman who plays the saxophone, his wife Kathleen and daughter Rochelle who are vocalists, drummer Brad Boal, guitarist Mike McGee, bassist Marc Miller and pianist Ed Weber.

The Collective is part of the church’s ministry to the Everett area, Hickman said. The musicians provide free jazz clinics at area schools, teach free lessons and play once or twice a month on Wednesday nights at Alligator Soul on Broadway.

“We’re just trying to schedule things that fit who we are. We do get a lot of requests,” Hickman said. “We try to do things that really meet the mission of our church.”

Their sound isn’t smooth jazz, but more in the jazz fusion style of groups such as The Headhunters and Weather Report, Miller said.

“If you’re coming out to hear Kenny G, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not what we do,” he said.

The group is working on its second CD, “Northwest Jazz Collective Live at Alligator Soul” and planning a CD of congregational pieces, he added.

Musical selections don’t vary too much between a Sunday morning service and a Wednesday night band members said. Often, people are surprised when they hear The Collective is a church band.

“We want people to have a common place, a middle space where they can be around Christian people and see them as people,” Rydman said. “We’re not soft in our faith, we’re not soft on the message of the gospel, but there’s a time and a place.”

Overall, Soteria wants to be known as a church that is a part of and committed to the city of Everett, he added.

Playing jazz music is one way members of the Northwest Jazz Collective share their passion for music while contributing to the church mission of serving the community.

“Soteria is very community oriented and this is the part we want to do and the part this band can play,” Miller said.

You’re invited

The Northwest Jazz Collective performs during Soteria Church Sunday worship services beginning at 10 a.m. at North Middle School, 2514 Rainier Ave., Everett and from 6 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 18 at Alligator Soul, 3121 Broadway, Everett.