The Salina Journal The Salina Central Jazz Combo will perform in the outdoor public plaza next to Ad Astra Books & Coffee House, near the corner of N. Santa Fe Ave. and W. Ash St., at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 7 as part of the Salina Arts & Humanities First Friday. The musical group is made of up eight Salina Central High School students and is organized by Ben Rohrer, with rehearsals run by the students. This year’s leader is senior bassist Nelson Gutsch, who will attend Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the fall. The Salina Central combo had its beginnings in 1995-96. A small group of SCHS students, Grant Mathews (drums), Mike Weber (keyboard), Stephen Rogers (saxophone) and Michael Hamilton (bass) started rehearsing in Mathews’ basement. They wound up getting several gigs during their high-school years. The combo evolved into a student group that rehearsed at Central before school, and has existed ever since.