Reporter: Tony Sheldon
Date online: 12/06/2008

It was panto time at the Gabriels - oh yes it was! With the punters hanging from the rafters and not a seat to be had.

Jim Wilke's Swingin' Santas were back in town despite all the 'rain dear'! The early arrivals had enjoyed an hour of John Reade's 'Honky Tonk' piano and I had to be shoehorned into a seat - yes, it was Christmastime - Ho, Ho, Ho!

A long normal first set of popular numbers - Wilkes style - opened with a multi instrumental medley of a musical miscellany - good job they have a large repertoire or the concert would have been over there and then!

All the talented band vocalise (one or two can even sing!) amidst the harmonising mayhem of the others. This is a band of real entertainers and sometimes the Jazz purists felt uncomfortable at the 'merriment arrangements'. In this first session which closed with a Jolson medley we had Ellington's 'Rent Party Blues', Wilkes vocal on 'Tishamingo Blues' and also a superb version of the famous Chris Barber favourite 'Chimes Blues'.

The deadpan face of bass guitarist Geoff Kitson remained unmoved as he sang his party piece 'Just A Gigolo' despite the efforts of the 'tormentors' who also failed miserably to deter banjo/guitarist Brian Herbert's french rendition of 'C'est Si Bon'. Paul Broomhead's clarinet and vocal chords on the spiritual 'Precious Lord' cought the seasonal feel and we even had a 'New Orleans Funeral' - must have a drink!

The santa's suitably attired from Lapland had the tonsils tingling in set two with 'Jingle Bells', 'Rudolph', 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town', 'Winter Wonderland', 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' and of course Crosby's 'White Christmas' - a la Wilkes and 'Mills Brothers' before a modicom of normality returned for the final session.

Having played together for 27 years, it was apt to play their 'We Just Get On Together' number. Kitson survived more mayhem in getting through 'I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire' and you could taste the salt in Monsieur Herbert's 'La Mer'. Wilkes sang the lyrics to 'Jelly Roll', trombonist Terry Arnold put the 'Ace In The Hole' leaving Wilkes 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered' as 'The Saints Went Marching In' and we all agreed it was a 'Lovely Way To Spend An Evening'.

Oh yes, and the beer ran out - well it was Christmas - Ho, Ho, Ho!

Jim Wilkes Stompers
December 2002