Fogeys looking to jam

crystalby Morinville News Staff

Guitars, drums, and other instruments will soon be put in the hands of middle-aged Morinvillians looking to get their musical groove on. Fogey Jam is a new initiative of Higher Grounds Espresso Bar in Morinville’s downtown core. Coffee shop manager Crystal Terhorst is hoping to pool as many as eight quadragenarians, quinquagenarian, sexagenarians and beyond to jam together.

“Fogey Jam is an opportunity for people over 40 years of age to get together and jam to some of the good old music from the ‘60s and the ‘70s,” Terhorst said, adding she is really looking for unaccomplished musicians, people whose love of music exceeds their skills. “We’re talking about people who don’t quite know what they are doing but want to get together and jam.”

Terhorst said the idea for Fogey Jam came from attending a Smith Music recital. “I saw all these young kids doing these great old songs,” she said. “I loved the music and I thought – why not people from that era. Why don’t we do this. It’s purely selfish. I want to play some of those old songs, but I know I’m not as good as those youngsters.”

Although Terhorst has played piano since she was a child, she has been taking guitar lessons in recent years to better learn the instrument. “Every week I play guitar, but there are still songs I’d like to learn to play,” she said. “I’m not an expert.”

The local coffee shop manager and student musician is hoping to find another seven like-minded individuals to join her.

Terhorst has contracted Paul Smith of Smith Music to put on four monthly sessions between September and December. Terhorst said the sessions will include 90-minutes of instruction from Smith. the remainder of the Friday evening sessions will be reserved for a jam session of what was learned.

“For the first four months Paul [Smith] will be helping us,” Terhorst said, adding after that after that she is hoping to host regular monthly jams at the coffee house that are open to the participants and the public. “We’re hoping to get a group of people that love to play old music together and love to jam with an audience. There have been a few people that have said they’d love to come and here that.”

Cost of the four monthly sessions is $25 per person for each session. For more information contact Crystal Terhorst at 780-939-5154.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email