THE band has undergone a number of personnel changes in recent times and this may be the reason why there was a chunkier sound at this Christmas concert.

Either that or new musical director Chris License has deliberately beefed things up. In any event, this concert was packed tighter than a seasonal pudding with festive fare and it wasn’t long before the musicians got in the swing of things.

The James Bond Collection was particularly strong, no shortage of meat with that one. Then came an evocative horn solo from Chris Wilsdon in the evergreen Georgia on my Mind, a sober interlude before the slow-burning absurdity of Brian Cobley’s bass solo in A Policeman’s Lot is not a Happy One.

A brief departure from the brass was provided by Cherry Orchard Area Choir, a group of Worcester youngsters who displayed an astonishing level of stage craft and audience awareness as they steamed through a selection of mainly traditional African choral pieces.

Into the second half and it was jingle bells all the way as the reindeer started the final downward descent into Christmas. All the usual suspects were present, the best by far being How Far is it to Bethlehem? a piece showcasing the delicately tasteful solo horn work of Jenny Cobley.

So… just one small criticism. If readings are going to be a feature of the band’s annual concerts in future, then we need something a little more original than The 12 Thank You Notes of Christmas, a hoary old seasonal chestnut that has been pulled out of the box more time than your gran’s paper decorations.

Nevertheless, the band was sounding good at this concert which made everyone want to dig that little bit deeper for this year’s worthy cause, Acorn’s Children’s Hospice Trust.