Listen to curated folk music in a friendly and informal venue

Thursday afternoons just got a whole lot better with The Carrot Coffeehouse’s newest musical offering: Toast and Jam. 

Yes, toast is referring to toasted bread, which participants can happily eat while listening to the “jam”: local folk music played around a table, reminiscent of a kitchen party.

Bill Werthmann is the folk musician who conjured up this punny title and proposition.

Christy Morin, executive director of The Carrot Coffeehouse, explains: “Bill is an established folk musician in Edmonton. He’s really rich in the knowledge of folk and acoustic music.”

Werthmann is friends with Peter Nolan, who is a retired teacher as well as a blues musician and longtime volunteer at The Carrot Coffeehouse. Werthmann had been looking for the right venue to explore his idea, and he contacted Nolan to ask if he could talk to Morin.

“His concept was that he wanted a relaxed venue to jam around the table,” Morin explains. “And he asked if we serve toast. He said he always wanted to call his idea Toast and Jam.”

As it happens, The Carrot Coffeehouse does indeed serve toast. So now with a relaxed venue and his choice of snack, people can come and eat and enjoy the performances. Although, of course, they don’t have to order toast if they’d rather have something else.

Unlike The Carrot’s Open Mic Night where anyone can participate, Morin explains that Werthmann is curating the music. 

“I think it’s going to start attracting more folk musicians to The Carrot,” says Morin. All people need to do is come and listen. “[Werthmann] just wants to see how and where it goes.” 

Toast and Jam is held every Thursday from 11 am to 1 pm at The Carrot Coffeehouse (9351 118 Ave).

Featured Image: Folk music artists entertained guests with holiday music in late November. | Talea Medynski