Attitude will be in abundance this weekend as jazz singers let their voices fly. The Foothills Philharmonic Vocal Jazz group has a conflicting line-up of songs planned for its spring concert Sweet & Sassy June 8 at 7 p.m. in the High River Christian Reformed Church and June 9 at 7 p.m. in the Okotoks Alliance Church. Singer Sue Gothard said the group has prepared such sweet songs as the beautiful harmonious jazz piece When October Goes balanced with songs with more sass like All That Jazz. Most of the arrangements are by Kirby Stone and Harris Rutherford. “It was so much fun putting these songs together,” said Gothard. The vocal jazz group was established two years ago, formed by members of the larger Foothills Philharmonic Choir who had an interest in jazz. “It takes you to a whole new level,” Gothard said. “It’s very talented people who are training us and make us sound good. They mould us into shape. It’s quite a range of what they’re bringing out in us. We can sound sweet, but we can sound sassy, too.” Performing before an audience can be a nerve-wracking experience, but Gothard is not concerned. “The excitement has way overtaken the nerves,” she said. “Just the joy of getting out there singing, you can hear the whole effect with the tenor, bass, alto and soprano.” Getting together weekly to learn new jazz songs has become a joy for Gothard. “It’s just fantastic,” she said. “It’s a laugh a minute. There’s a lot of humour.” The singers will be backed by Alex Findlay on the tuba, Ty Graham on drums, Cory Knutson on bass, Sarah McLean on clarinet and Helen Ashton on alto sax for the song California Dreaming. Tickets to see the concert cost $20 for adults and $15 for teens and seniors. Children ages 12 and under are free. Tickets are available at www.foothillsphilharmonic.com and at the door as space allows.
