By JULIANNE HOMOKAY
Special to the Alpine Mountaineer
If you didn’t know there is a speakeasy on the mountain, you wouldn’t be the only one.
For the uninitiated, speakeasies were underground venues that popped up during the Prohibition years, so that revelers could still venture out for some nightlife and a cocktail (or several). Since alcohol was illegal during that era, patrons often needed to find out where the secret entrance was and obtain a password, key or code word from someone already in the know.
“Speakeasies seem to have come into vogue right now,” said Greg Siples, the bandleader of the jazz combo Jazz On Tap. And he’s right: across the United States, you can find them in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, Las Vegas and now, Skyforest. “Bill and Michelle have tapped into that.”
Siples is referring to Bill and Michelle Johnson, the visionaries who adopted the old Santa’s Village and nurtured it into the exciting adventure park that SkyPark at Santa’s Village is today. The speakeasy that has popped up in a secret location on its premises is called The Reindeer Room, where “the warmth of a rustic mountain lodge meets the sophistication of the 1920s” (thereindeerroom.com).
“We wanted to elevate an attraction in the park that was both unique and would potentially bring new guests,” said Michelle Johnson, via email. “The Reindeer Room has been well received by the community and the reviews are amazing! We are even seeing folks drive from down the mountain to attend.”
Once you have obtained your key and unlocked the door to the hideaway, you will find an ambient, candlelit atmosphere and craft cocktails that rival any you could sample down in Los Angeles. In keeping with tradition, you will also find some of the best jazz on the mountain. Siples’ combo Jazz On Tap will be featured this Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.
The group consists of Siples on vocals and trumpet, and pianist T. J. Roger, a music student at the University of Redlands who has been appearing regularly in shows on the mountain. Roger and Siples worked together during last year’s Broadway Review and this year’s Serenade In The Pines, both at the Tudor House, a venue known to have a past as an authentic speakeasy and casino back in the day.
Siples and Roger began work on their three hours’ worth of repertoire back in July, and first performed at The Reindeer Room in August. Patrons will hear plenty of standards from the group, but “I wanted to bring something a little bit different in,” said Siples. He drew music selections from the 20s, 30s and 40s, and included movie themes and theater music in the mix.
Siples, a native of Indiana, began playing the trumpet in 3rd grade and added choir on in high school. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy, and came to California to work at Patton State Hospital, a forensic mental health facility near Highland. He moved to Running Springs in 1992. After a thirty-year career helping people to heal with his musical talent and therapeutic skills, he retired and set his sights on performance once again. “I’ve been making music my entire life,” he said.
If you miss Jazz On Tap at The Reindeer Room on Saturday, it may not be your only chance to hear them. They hope to keep performing in local venues, and “may bring on a bass player and a drummer, depending on the gig,” Siples said.
In the meantime, if we can snag a key to get in, I’ll see you and Jazz On Tap at The Reindeer Room on Saturday. No need to bring your bootleg hooch.
To make reservations for Saturday, September 27, visit thereindeerroom.com. Reservations are held for $25 per person, but only charged for no-shows. A Day or Annual Pass to Skypark is not required. The Reindeer Room is also available for private parties and wedding events.
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