It seems a bit unfair to describe the performance of the Damon Brown Quintet as slightly underwhelming; unfair, because this is a group formidably equipped technically, their often intricate and musically demanding material is well worked out and crisply executed. Yet, enjoyable as it was at times, especially in the second set, it lacked a vital spark to raise it out of the relative anonymity of high level competence.

Idiomatically, they inhabit a mid-1960s Blue Note style when, based on the modal experiments of Miles Davis, hard bop was being pushed in fresh directions by such as Herbie Hancock. That impression was reinforced by the front line soloists - Brown, a gifted trumpeter and flugelhorn player in the Freddie Hubbard; Lee Morgan, in Miles Davis mode; the fiery alto of Perico Sambeat, reminiscent of Jackie McLean; and the echoes of McCoy Tyner and Hancock in Edward Simons's fleet piano.

A so-so first set, unremarkable except for a few moments - Busted Back Blues, played in sympathy with drummer Stephen Keogh, who performed throughout in considerable discomfort with back trouble, and the fast Minnie the Minx - was followed by a considerably improved performance after the interval.

The opening Harold Souk set down the marker for the second half. It featured strong solos by Brown, Michael Buckley (guesting on tenor and made somewhat peripheral throughout the concert by the quintet's somewhat fussy and elaborate arrangements) and especially bassist Mark Hodgson.

A couple of un-named blues, an uptempo Pete Spiderman and an elegant Jousting In Three all showed the band at last beginning to establish a groove. The mood seemed to lift Sambeat and Simons in particular, but if you were looking for the unexpected from the soloists, it mostly came from Buckley when he got an opportunity. And that, really, was the nub of things for this otherwise excellent band.