The Edinburgh leg of alto-saxophonist Jesse Davis and drummer Leon Parker's UK tour is something of a double-edged sword. Luckily, they get the pick of two of the East coast's most talented jazzers: Brian Kellock on keys and Kenny Ellis on bass. And they really are good. And yet, while Davis and Parker have been playing together for over 20 years, and Kellock and Ellis have collaborated numerous times, it's a little deceptive to call this a concert and not a jam session.

That's not to say that the quartet aren't well rehearsed. It's just that, running through standards the like of Dizzy Gillespie's 'The Cup Bearers' and Duke Ellington's 'In a Sentimental Mood', the group needs to be more than tight to make the numbers swing. While Davis's wide note bending and Parker's sultry brushes suit 'In a Sentimental Mood' well—frequently it feels like a searing blues—there's a lack of continuity between the solos. In particular, the ending is fudged where it ought to be delicate.

Undoubtedly the highlight of the evening is a rendition of the Miles Davis favourite, 'Yesterdays'. Starting out as a jaunty, bop number, the piece is the first to use the unfamiliar grouping to its full potential and really set the Scottish and American musicians off against each other. Through a series of competing solos from Parker's drums and Kellock's piano, the piece gradually descends into free-jazz romp. Ellis on bass has to work super hard to keep Parker and Kellock, plus discordant blasts from Davis, firmly rooted. As a result, there's a concentration and intensity here from the quartet which is quite thrilling. "That was an adventure!" announces a breathless Jesse Davis. Indeed it was, but it's as adventurous as this set gets.