Lickety Split @ The Globe, Newcastle - May 18

Eddie Bellis (trombone), Alan Marshall (alto saxophone), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Kevin Eland (trumpet & flugelhorn), Bradley Johnston (guitar), Alan Rudd (bass) & Paul Wight (drums)

(Review by Russell).

Take it to the Bridge is an institution. Dave Weisser’s weekly ‘workshop’ has been going since the  year dot. From time to time the institution’s leader invites a band to come along and play a set. This week’s guests were fulfilling a twice postponed appearance at the Jazz Co-op’s Globe HQ.

Lickety Split is a no nonsense band. Turn up, play, job done. Band charts depleted due to a thief’s keen ear for something of real value – yes, stolen notes of the musical kind, of much greater value than a swag bag full of five pound notes – didn’t deter Eddie Bellis’ outfit. Minus the band’s absent pianist, Bellis and co were ready for Lift Off! Exhilarating, drilled brass and reeds, an object lesson in dynamics, the ideal calling card. 

                     

What’s New? enquired the band with a first shot at the stratosphere by Teesside’s top C trumpeter Kevin Eland. Rollins’ Doxy encouraged the frontline horns to craft a solo then pass the baton. Solo statements concise (an object lesson in how to present the music and connect with the audience), ensemble work neat and tidy, what’s not to like? Bellis suggested a Mulgrew Miller chart. In doing so the trombonist stopped mid thought…Is that lippy? The eagled-eyed Mr Bellis detected traces of lipstick on the mic. In jest our trombonist wondered if it was DW’s! Meanwhile…the Miller chart was nowhere to be found, perhaps it was one of the stolen charts?! Seamlessly the band opted to play Stolen Moments. Oliver Nelson’s masterwork could be thought of as Lickety Split’s signature tune. On this occasion, as always, Alan Rudd’s bass line was spot-on, and Eland rightly chose to play a mellow flugelhorn.

A new number in the pad – Horace Sliver’s Nica’s Dream – described by Bellis as: a bit of an epic, a corking Sandu, and I Remember Clifford featuring Eland and the seated Bradley Johnston, guitar. A couple more and the hour was up; Well, You Needn’t (drummer Paul Wight on the case) and Miles’ Four. The Railway Street audience wanted another one and Bellis obliged with another gold plated Horace  Silver number, Sister Sadie.

Earlier Dave Weisser’s merry band opened with one or two tunes including a Barry Ascroft original Mr Rascal and the main man, Mr Dave Weisser sang Secret Love. DW told the story of the time he met the one and only Doris Day. Ask him about it some time. 

Russell.