Nutrition &Metabolism

Determine how much energy your body burns at rest.Implement sustainable activity and nutritional changes.

Renew &Rejuvenate

Understand nutrition labels on food packages.

Visit your Co-op Pharmacist to sign up forour Nutrition and Metabolism Clinic.

2 - Monday, January 04, 2016, CALGARY SENIOR

By Gary GeeWhen it’s time to play, Calgary’s oldest band of oldies - the Rhythm Kats -

swings into action. This past month, the group has played their hearts out, for about 100 people at the Bow Cliff Senior’s Centre, among others. The Rhythm Kats – who range in age from 53 to 91 - come to the seniors’ facilities to play for free. They perform about 15 times a year, including four performances at the Calgary Stampede. For all of the band members, the camaraderie and a chance to do something they love is reward enough.

“This is a fantastic group,” says Grace Nelson, who at 60 is one of the young-est members of the band. “I need to be with a group of people that enjoy old music. I want to keep it alive.” Nelson plays the wooden dowels, the bells and chimes. Although they are led by bandleader June Crowe on the piano, most of the instruments are handmade. Others play real instruments like the vio-lin, bongo and drums. The handmade section includes a xylophone, a wash-board, pipes or chimes, dowels and a Pan Tree made up of aluminum pans. Most of the band’s repertoire is from the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. They excel in the classics, such a “I Got Rhythm” and “Button Up Your Overcoat” to “Chat-tanooga Shoe Shine Boy” to “Blue Spanish Eyes.” “We don’t get tips, we don’t even get paid,” said one publicity-shy member. “But we laugh a lot. And we get our Stampede pancake breakfast.”

The harmonica section was in high gear during a recent practice. Photo: Gary Gee

The Rhythm Kats, Always on TimeA band composed of all senior members brings the songs of the 30s and 40s back to life

A quartet of Kats singers is another offering from the band. Photo: Gary Gee

CALGARY SENIOR, Monday, January 04, 2016 - 3

Marjorie Umbauch, 91, is the oldest band member. She plays the wash-board and sings in the quartet. Join-ing the Rhythm Kats helps her to get out of the house, she says, especially after her husband passed. “I love it, it’s fun and it’s a really friendly group,” she says. The average age of the band is about 80, says Roy Heth-erington, who recently marked his 81st birthday. Hetherington sings in the quintet and as a soloist. Heth-erington plays the snare drums, but it was only after joining the group that he picked up the drums again. “I started playing drums when I was in my teens, then I never touched them

for 60 odd years,” he says. Hethering-ton often performs oldies from the ‘20s and ‘40s, from the swing and jazz era, while doing double duty as an emcee. He doesn’t use a full drum kit. He says the band has a connec-tion with a celebrity: Wayne Gretzky. Legend has it that their wooden xylo-phone is made up of his old hockey stick handles. “They tell me they were donated by Wayne when they were at Confederation Park. When they dis-solved the band, they gave them to us.” At 56, Wayne Gretzky is now old enough to join the band. With three upcoming concerts in

January, the Rhythm Kats have some

serious practising to do. June Crowe, 79, formed the band about 15 years ago, after she decided to branch out from her regular choir, the Bow Cliff Singalongs. They named it the Rhythm Kats, after the 1962 Gram-my award-winning song “Alley Cats,” and, as they say, the rest is history. “We come here for the love of it,” says Crowe. “If you’re going to sit at home, you’re going to rot. So I’ve got to keep busy.” She says she has seen many members come and go; some

people drop out but more often band members pass away. The band also has two female members with Alzheimer’s. “As long as we start to-gether and end together, that’s fine. It’s nice because they love music.” Asked when they would retire from the band, a chorus of denials spring up from the group. “When they carry us out feet first,” says one.

The Rhythm Kats, Always on Time

The Pan Tree is a homemade instrument made of pans. Photo: Gary Gee

Left to Right - Playing the chimes isn’t as easy as it looks. Monica Ogston loves to play the tambourine.

Photo: Gary Gee