January concert proves top class entertainment

The rare inclusion of a superb percussionist to supplement the skills of an extremely talented and experienced keyboardist did not disappoint – in fact, the combination drew the wholehearted approval of the entire audience.

Michael Wooldridge, from Littlehampton, was the keyboard player, making his eighth appearance for the Club, whilst Gareth Thompson, from Camden in North West London, provided ideal accompaniment with his array of drums and other accoutrements.

Michael opened the concert and, after performing The Blue Danube (Johann Strauss II), introduced Gareth, who immediately demonstrated his capabilities with a strong contribution to the performance of The St Louis Blues March in the style of the Glenn Miller Band. The duo continued with a medley of Miller’s popular tunes – At Last, Little Brown Jug, In The Mood and Moonlight Serenade.

An apt reminder of the season was Snow Coach (composed by Trevor Stanford, alias Russ Conway), followed by Mornings At Seven (James Last) and Pop Goes Bach (the theme for the TV ‘Ski Sunday’ programme. Love Me Or Leave Me was played to a cha-cha rhythm, before Michael introduced a couple of songs – Somewhere Over The Rainbow and Blue Skies – utilising the theatre organ sound. Eric Delaney’s Hornpipe Boogie gave Gareth another opportunity to shine, whilst Michael introduced the Classic Organ sound to perform the BBC Songs Of Praise theme and a selection of Gospel songs in Hammond style. The first half ended with a tribute to the late John Miles with a performance of his well-known 70s hit, simply titled Music.

The second part of the concert began in rhythmic style – Fascinating Rhythm and George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm – before Michael introduced the Bluest Kind Of Blues (Django Reinhardt), for which he utilised the xylophone sound. Sing, Sing, Sing (Benny Goodman) gave Gareth another opportunity for a stirring drum solo before, in complete contrast, Michael took the audience into the world of opera with Giacomo Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, followed by Funiculì, Funiculà – a Neapolitan song written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular cable car on Mount Vesuvius – with the sound of Gareth’s drums again to the fore.

In a lighter vein, the audience enjoyed a selection of Disney songs, including such familiar numbers as Chim Chim Cher-ee, Heigh Ho, I Wanna Be Like You and When You Wish Upon Star. Michael then played a rarely-heard song, Midnight, The Stars And You (used in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film ‘The Shining’). The tone changed once again for Sleigh Ride, with a little audience participation – and, of course, Gareth with his jingling bells! The two performers combined for the finale, with a medley of Elvis Presley hits – including Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, Wooden Heart, Can’t Help Falling In Love, and the emotive showstopper, American Trilogy.

Such was the acclaim of the audience that a request for an encore could not be denied – for which Billy Joel’s lively Root Beer Rag was chosen – and performed with much gusto. Yet another successful and very enjoyable evening was completed, demonstrating once again that the word ‘organ’ in the Club’s title is hardly appropriate.