Foothills Brass and Friends bring ‘serious fun’ to Arts on 817

By Melissa Crispin-Piche Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A little nostalgia, a big brass sound and an evening of fun will open the Arts on 817 Season 9 when Foothills Brass and Friends come to Strathmore Oct. 24 at the Strathmore United Church.

For Chris Morrison, Artistic Director and Trumpeter, the concert is a chance to revisit music he has enjoyed playing for decades and share the stories that come with it.

The program draws on the brassy sounds of 1960s pop, mixing familiar melodies with a brass quintet, bass, drums and Latin percussion. While Foothills Brass has classical roots, audiences can expect an evening that reaches into pop, rock and Latin music.

The program grew out of conversations Morrison and the bass player began having about a decade ago. Their musical connection goes back much further; they played together in a dance band Morrison put together while attending university in Edmonton, too many years ago to remember the exact year.

They were performing some of this music when it was new. Now, they are returning to it with the experience and personal recollections gathered along the way.

Plans for the concert were interrupted by the pandemic before the group eventually presented the program in Calgary last April. 

Morrison said the ensemble’s own concert series gives its musicians a place to develop new programs, with returning audiences providing a reason to keep exploring different material.

Choosing a favourite piece from this show is more difficult. 

“It’s a lot of fun playing a lot of this stuff,” he said.

Among the selections he enjoys is “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White,” a tune he remembers from childhood. “Hello, Dolly!” is another favourite to play.

That sense of enjoyment carries into the group’s approach to performing. Morrison describes its motto as “serious fun,” with care for the music and enjoyment for the musicians and audience going hand in hand.

Even listeners who do not recognize the song titles may find themselves recognizing the tunes. Much of the music has continued to turn up in television, commercials and other settings, introducing it to people who were not around for the original recordings.

The evening will also include stories about the music and the musicians’ own memories of it, giving the audience a little something of the people behind the performance.

Asked what he hopes listeners take home, Morrison’s answer was simple: to feel “a little more carefree than they were when they came in. I think that’s an important thing for this point in history.”

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at The Vault in person or online by visiting The Vault’s webpage. Tickets start at $10 for youth and $40 for adults. Season ticket subscriptions for $140 can also be purchased.