Lickety Split & Take it to the Bridge @ The Chillingham. October 19

Dave Weisser invited trombonist Eddie Bellis to bring in his new ensemble to play a few tunes in the welcoming environment of the weekly workshop session Take it to the Bridge at the Chillingham. As the eight piece band arrived in ones and twos Weisser's regular outfit warmed-up with tunes by Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. Keyboards man Barrie Ascroft switched to bass guitar duties to accommodate Steve Whitfield, tenor man Dougie Fielder was in attendance as ever, Mark on guitar, drummer Paul Wight put in a long stint and Main Man Weisser blew lots of good flugel. The late set featured vocalist Stacey Swanson on Cry Me a River and Misty with Daniel Tyson offering some tasteful support on guitar, likewise Weisser on flugel.

Lickety Split is a new band assembled by the self-effacing Eddie Bellis to play tunes he and his band-mates have a liking for. What a good idea! Get this lot - Well You Needn't, Mamacita, I'm Beginning to See the Light (the band's signature tune according to Bellis), You Stepped Out of a Dream, Four, Another Three Putt, the list goes on. First class material, from swing to bop, played by a first class outfit. The rhythm section, some of them on loan from the Customs House Big Band, played it relaxed, Basie-style. Veteran pianist Bill Brittain, guitarist Roy Willis, the redoubtable Alan Rudd on electric bass for the occasion and the hard-working Paul Wight behind the kit provided the foundation for the frontline to trade one impeccable solo after another. John Hudson (tenor sax) and Alan Marshall (alto sax) crafted beautiful solos, Bellis too, yet trumpeter Kevin Eland topped the lot with some stratospheric playing in the small upstairs room of the Chilli. The highlight of the evening proved to be so good that on arriving home 'round midnight I took from the shelves the CD Blues and the Abstract Truth to listen once again to Stolen Moments. 

A couple of hours earlier Lickety Split had given Oliver Nelson's classic tune the most reverential, indeed sublime reading imaginable. Calls for an encore resulted in a round of solos on Horace Silver's Sister Sadie. A great gig from a great band. I can think of a number of venues around the north east who could do worse than book Lickety Split. You're next chance to hear the band is on Wednesday 26th October at the Sage. Six o'clock start, admission free. I for one can't wait.

Russell.