I’m Wondering Who
The Hottest Man In Town
You’re The Cream In My Coffee
Passion
Dreamer’s Holiday
Palesteena
How Am I To Know?
Eddie’s Lullaby
Good Little, Bad Little You
Wide Awake (The Insomniac’s Lament)
I Like To Do Things For You
Persian Rug
Ukelele Lady
Because My Baby Don’t Mean Maybe
Just Like A Melody
Stage Fright
Turn On The Heat
Thomas "Spats" Langham (banjo, guitar,
ukulele, vocals)
Keith Nichols (piano)
Norman Field (clarinet, alto and C melody
saxophone)
Debbie Arthurs (percussion, vocals)
Malcolm Sked (sousaphone, double bass)
Danny Blyth (second guitar, mandolin)
Nick Gill (piano)
The booklet picture sets
the scene. Spats Langham, sporting a Ronald
Colman moustache, is ready to croon into a
microphone. He is the cutout record label
of a mock-up 78 record sleeve; slightly crumpled
but doing the job nicely (the sleeve, not
Langham). Alongside are the names of his fellows
on the bandstand, names that will resonate
for admirers of the Charleston Chasers and
of hot music generally. Keith Nichols is here
and Norman Field, a fine and versatile player
much valued on the circuit. The Chasers’s
drummer Debbie Arthurs is here as well.
So all is set for an enjoyable
romp. The repertoire takes in Langham originals
as well as things one associates with the
ODJB, Whiteman, Bix and Tram, Sam Lanin and
of course Ukelele Ike – one of Langham’s very
earliest inspirations. Unlike another eminent
practitioner in the field, the guitarist and
banjoist Martin Wheatley – who also works
regularly with Nichols – Langham tends to
mine novelty and popular songs with greater
avidity. Where Wheatley digs Eddie Lang, Spats
digs Ike.
Not that Langham is averse
to turning on the soloistic heat. He can also
veer closer to the Django-Oscar Aleman scheme
of things – try Passion – than ever
Wheatley would. This Andalusian take is quite
appropriate given the song’s provenance but
also shows the breadth of Langham’s influences.
It’s good to hear Palesteena with peppy
twenties sax and the exotica of Persian
Rug. Abetted by Nichols (and his replacement
Nick Gill on three tracks) Langham is generous
in allocating solo space to Fields. The tribute
to Bix, Tram and Crosby on Because My Baby
Don’t Mean Maybe is crowned by fine breaks
and there’s more than a touch of the Langs,
at last, on Raggin’ the Scale, the
final track.
None of the vocals suffer
from that dread affliction Trans-Atlanticitis.
And there’s plenty of variety in the band.
I’ve not mentioned the sousaphone playing
of Malcolm Sked but it’s a tower of witty
strength and Danny Blyth takes on his guitar
and mandolin chores with distinction. Full
marks to the band for not ploughing the same
old field.
Jonathan Woolf
see also review
by Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
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