Finnish pianist Jarmo Savolainen is highly regarded, and his performance in Whelans did not disappoint. Claiming Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett as his inspirations, he is a sensitive, understated performer. He was joined for this concert by the Italian saxophonist Claudio Fasoli, and by Ronan Guilfoyle and Conor Guilfoyle.

Savolainen avoids the excesses of jazz piano: his improvisations always remain melodic and clear, and his chordal accompaniments are precise without being intrusive. Fasoli, meanwhile, is a technically brilliant performer on both tenor and soprano sax, but at times his playing seemed too calculated and intellectual.

The group's choice of repertoire included standards and new compositions. Savolainen was at his most refined, giving a solo performance of an unnamed tune, accompanying the slow melody with soft, twonote chords. It's rare to hear a pianist play in such a bare, unshowy way.

But he's not averse to upping the tempo: a powerful version of Long Ago and Far Away brought the first set to a conclusion and found Savolainen thumping out a riff in the bass while Fasoli's saxophone hurtled around above.