Tim Hughes brushes down his suit and uncorks a bottle of vintage port in readiness for that Yuletide musical highpoint – The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band Knees-Up

It's as much a part of Oxford’s festive season as Carols at Christ Church, the Broad Street Christmas tree and dismal decorations: The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band’s Christmas Knees-up is for many the musical highpoint of the yuletide season.

And because nothing says Christmas quite like a bunch of badly-behaved dapper jazz and blues musicians, the group’s annual December gathering has become our city’s most raucous Midwinter tradition.

“Our Christmas show is the band’s own Christmas Day,” says bandleader Stuart Macbeth, while pouring himself a suitably large glass of what looks like vintage port.

“If Father Christmas could bring us anything on December 19, it would a sold out crowd, six large bottles of sherry and a can of Coke. The can of Coke’s for John our drummer, who’ll have to drive us home afterwards.”

As with previous outings, the band will be joined by a selection of special guests — each putting their spin on the group’s self-penned vintage jazz, swing and jump-blues fayre. This year that includes singer Julia Titus and washboard player Daz Price.

Support comes from Oxford surf-rock rockabilly band The Long Insiders, good-time boys The Shapes and with old-style gramophone 78s spun by the Shellac Collective’s Greg Butler and Tony Tunes.

“Julia is such a gift to good music that we’d consider wrapping her up and putting her under a tree,” says says pianist and singer Stuart. “She’s a leading light on the UK reggae scene — but also a fine blues shouter in the tradition of Bessie Smith and Big Mama Thornton.

“We also have Daz, who’s a virtuoso washboard player, making his Oxford debut. There are plenty of other special guests too, but we always keep their identity secret until the night, it’s part of the fun!”

Known as much for their adrenaline-fuelled old-style tunes, biting lyrics and intoxicating blend of brass, strings, keys and percussion, the ‘Rabbit Foots’ are a band in the grand old tradition of 1920s New Orleans, while being contemporary and intrinsically British — with all the boisterousness, humour and self-deprecation that entails. And that extends to their sharp designer looks.

“If we could pull off the festive jumper look we would, but with so many gigs we’ve hardly got time to go to Primark. It’s going to be classic British suits again,” says Stuart, who will be joined on the night by bandmates Martín Martello (trumpet) Red Wilkins (tenor sax) Chuck Lloyd (baritone sax) Carlo Matassa (guitar) Buzz Booker (double bass) and Skippy Gannon (drums).

“I didn’t get the suits at first, but after a while it made sense,” says Skippy while sipping coffee (Skippy is regarded as the most responsible — or perhaps just the least irresponsible — band member).

“We’re old- fashioned entertainers. Being well turned out is part of what we do.

“The audience like to dress up too. We threw a Soviet night recently and there were people dressed in Cold War gear. One fella even came as a Cossack.

“People should also bring their dancing shoes.”

And he warned gig-goers to expect the unexpected.

“When they first asked me to play the drums with them I said no, then I went to check them out. Five minutes in, Stuart’s standing on his head, pouring wine down his trousers and playing the kazoo. I thought what’s this all about? It’s not really jazz, is it?

“It’s like ‘50s rock & roll with Dixieland poured over the top of it. Serious jazz musicians hate us because we mix all those genres up.”

Buzz laughs. “It’s all old blues, jazz and rock & roll, with a bit of Tex Mex thrown in,” he says by way of explanation.

“We’re like seven human jukeboxes who haven’t been restocked for 50 years.”

And, they can’t wait to get back to the Cowley Road.

“This will be our fourth end of year big Knees Up, and it’s a delight to be back at the O2 Academy,” says Skippy. “We don’t play Oxford very often so it’s always a big occasion when we do.

“It’s the biggest and best party of the Christmas season and we keep the ticket price to a minimum so everyone who wants to can join in.

“And, of course, there’s the after party which has Stuart and Carlo deejaying until the early hours of the morning. I’ve never actually been; I’ll be in bed with a cup of cocoa before that all kicks off.”

So do they deserve their fast-living, hard-partying reputation?

“Some of it’s myth, some of it’s real,” says Buzz. “Most of us have to drive home after gigs of course. We’re not like AC/DC with a big tour bus. For one thing there wouldn’t be anywhere to park it.”

And what can we look forward to tomorrow?

“The set’s different every year and there will be plenty of stuff we’ve never played before,” says Skippy.

“Unfortunately we can’t tell you what it is because Stuart won’t let us know until about half an hour before we go on. We like to keep it spontaneous. And we never rehearse.”

“There’s as much mayhem on stage as there is down the front row, and that’s what keeps it fresh – and keeps people coming back.”

“The atmosphere is lively, to say the least,” agrees Stuart, uncorking a second bottle of something dusty and expensive-looking.

“I tried a change of venue last year, but it’s great to be back at the O2 Academy.

“I plan to arrive my reindeer and make my entrance via the Chimney, singing Jingle Bells in the style of Oliver Reed – so you’d better be ready for a sing-a-long!”

CHECK IT OUT
The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band Knees Up takes place at the O2 Academy Oxford tomorrow. Doors 8pm. Tickets £7.50 from wegottickets.com

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.