Zoe Rahman is a distinctive talent. A strong and inventive pianist, she is at once both mellifluous and punchy. Joined by Roland Sutherland (flute), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Cheryl Alleyne (drums), she gave us an infectious and at times mischievous weaving of styles but always underpinned by a unifying rhythmic drive.

These were largely Rahman's own compositions. A swirling fluidity enveloped snatches of blues in the first number and glimpses of swing in the second, always quickly submerged back into complex rhythms, driven with a solidity owing more to rock than jazz.

Frequent appearances of the whole tone scale only emphasized that drive, lending a mercurial quality. With her fierce determination to create powerful soundscapes, even the quieter moments of reflection were intensely focused.

With some panache, Rahman demonstrated her ability to pull together an idiosyncratic mix in a medley sandwiching traditional-style Irish tunes with an exhilarating middle section revealing her Benghali heritage, all grounded by a returning 13-beat riff.

An intriguing arrangement of Stevie Wonder's Contusion followed in the second set which maintained a high energy level throughout.

That her quartet were so clearly enjoying themselves generated a vitality that was entrancing and certainly lived up to Rahman's billing in the Festival programme as “exuberant”.