(Preview by Russell/photo from archive)
Easter Sunday at
the Black Bull, Blaydon marks Lickety Split’s debut gig at Blaydon Jazz Club.
The West Coast to bop outfit never fails to deliver a great show. Led by
trombonist Eddie Bellis, Lickety Split play a choice selection of West Coast
cool to bop-tinged charts. The affable Bellis leads some of the north east’s
finest; Paul Gowland occupies the tenor chair, Alan Marshall, alto. Kevin
Eland, based down in the Tees Delta, blows Maynard Ferguson-style trumpet when
the fancy takes him, and fellow Teessider, pianist Jeremy McMurray, plays all
eighty eight keys every which way, doing so with consummate ease.
The young man in
the band is none other than Blaydon Jazz Club veteran Bradley Johnston. Brad,
under age at the time, shared the stage with mentor Dr James Birkett on several
occasions. These were revelatory times…Brad’s abilities astounded the Blaydon
audience, and now, as a First Class Honours graduate, the unassuming Wearsider
plays guitar with Dr Birkett, in a recently established duo with vocalist
Lindsay Hannon, leads his own trio, and fulfills numerous other engagements on
the jazz scene, not least the prestigious solo jazz guitar spot at the Cherry
Tree in Jesmond.
Lickety Split’s
bass and drums – Alan Rudd and Paul Wight – have been around the block a
couple of times. Rudd is a prominent figure on the New Orleans/Dixieland scene,
this West Coast gig is an ideal opportunity to hear him, equally at home, in a
Modernist context. Paul Wight works across the spectrum (jazz and beyond) and holds
the coveted drum chair in piano maestro Alan Glen’s superb trio.
It’s a long
holiday weekend. The Black Bull (a CAMRA-listed pub) Sunday April 16, an eight
o’clock start, an absolute bargain fiver admission at the door…that’s your
Sunday evening sorted!
Russell.
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