What do you do if Santa?s workshop runs out of time and can?t ?deliver? before Christmas as promised?

Well, if you?re the Saltus Jazz Band (SJB) you simply bury your disappointment, and say: ?A perfect time to start the 2007 Christmas shopping early.?

Besides, with the reputation these students enjoy, and three albums already released, the SJB?s fan base will probably be unfazed by Santa?s tardiness and simply snap up the latest edition. Certainly, that is what is hoped.

Planned months in advance for the festive market, and entitled ?Christmas on the Rock?, the CD features eight popular favourites, including ?White Christmas?, ?Let It Show?, and ?Rockin? around the Christmas Tree?, plus two non-Christmas tracks: ?Jungle Boogie?, and ?Car Wash?.

The SJB band delivers a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience, and a performance level which belies the members? age and experience, given the fact that each new year is something of a beginning as interested students are incorporated into its ranks.

Head boy Adam Kiki-Charles is the lead trumpeter on the album, while Oliver Riihiluoma is the lead saxophonist. Other participating musicians are Joshua Alves, Michael Grant, Joshua Correia, Matthew Ross, Andrew Rothwell, Jake Fox, Matthew Witkowski, Spencer Wood, Jonathan Hopwood, Kevin Simmons, Kylisha Julio, Amy Smith, and Jonathan McBeath.

The students are instructed by Saltus brass teacher Conrad Roach and woodwind teacher and jazz band administrator Lisa Maule.

With three albums already on the market, the decision to produce a Christmas album was predicated in part on establishing the SJB?s ?immortality?. According to Mr. Roach most performing groups have at least one such album to their credit, and the hope is always that people will return to playing it year after year.

?Since the group of musicians changes every couple of years, this is one way to keep us up and running,? the brass teacher says.

Because the SJB fulfils so many public engagements, particularly at Christmastime, it has developed quite a large repertoire of festive music, so narrowing the choices to eight for the new CD was made on the basis of the band?s favourites.

In terms of the genre of music the SJB plays, versatility is a by-word, with jazz standards, rock, funk, Latin jazz and swing being among the ways the group ensures its popularity and broad-based appeal.

To reach the standard they have, the students rehearse once a week in their lunch hour, and more frequently when major gigs are in the offing.

To date, in addition to private events, the SJB numbers late-night shopping at Christmastime and Harbour Nights in Hamilton, the National Trust walk-about in St. George?s, and the Bermuda Music Festival at Dockyard among its most important appearances. It also welcomed to Albouys Point when the sloop made its triumphant debut in Hamilton harbour.

Adam Kiki-Charles has been playing the trumpet for seven years, and sees the experience as a very positive and enjoyable one.

?I think my confidence has definitely developed being in the band,? he says. ?It helps you to become comfortable being on stage, and is an experience you can take with you throughout your life. I also play at masses with my younger brother.?

In fact, he agrees with the jazz band?s instructors that, in families, one sibling inspiring another to take up an instrument is quite common.

?It is definitely something you pass on, and it works well in families,? he says. ?I motivated my brother.?

Looking back on what it took to record the Christmas CD, the lead trumpeter says it was a ?pretty strenuous? process.

?We had to go through a lot of music at once and try to get it to be the very best each time we did it, but (overall) I think it went pretty well.?

While Adam, who numbers debating for his school and recently completing his Duke of Edinburgh gold award among his achievements, will be heading off to a US university this year to study medicine, he hopes to continue studying music as well.

Oliver Riihiluoma was originally a violinist, and still plays the instrument, but when he heard the Saltus Jazz Band in full swing he was impressed and thought he?d give it a try.

Five years ago he chose the saxophone as his second instrument, not only ?because it looks and sounds cool?, but because his father Jay is also a player.

In fact, Oliver, who is a keen sailor and competes around the world, comes from a musical family whose members all play two instruments. They enjoy jam sessions in which he and his father play saxophone, and his siblings play guitar and violin.

In terms of the SJB?s repertoire, Mrs. Maule says ?keeping up with the times? means that its members are exposed to a broad spectrum of music, and are thus able to undertake a wide variety of gigs.

Nonetheless, Mr. Conrad notes that, while many students are initially keen to learn an instrument and participate in the jazz band, competition from other modern forms of music-making, and the need to practice regularly, often take their toll.

?A lot of today?s music is electronically produced, which lets the students play instruments at the level we are playing now, especially locally,? Mr. Roach says.

?Many kids may take lessons in the beginning stages to get to the point where they can play in an ensemble or on a recording, but a lot also take to other genres which may not require as much time mastering a particular instrument. To keep up interest, however, you have to practice. There?s no other way.?

?Christmas on the Rock? is available at Lindo?s Family Foods, Miles Market, Makin? Waves, Flying Colours, Robertson?s and the Saltus administration office. The price is $20.