With all due respect to another band that tours under a "Best of British"label, you don't get much better than this sextet, which provided a realtreat with Alan Barnes' tribute to the American alto saxophonist Julian"Cannonball" Adderley.

With all due respect to another band that tours under a “Best of British” label, you don't get much better than this sextet, which provided a real treat with Alan Barnes' tribute to the American alto saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley.

The programme featured music played by Adderley's own bands, or bands he was associated with, arranged by members of the band.

And what a top-class evening they gave us.

Richly talented front-liners Barnes, on alto sax, Weller, on tenor and Dick Pearce on trumpet flourished against the driving rhythm section of John Donaldson (piano), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Clark Tracey (drums).

Pick of the evening had to be Weller's bop-styled arrangement of the old standard Limehouse Blues, in which he and Barnes exchanged furious choruses at breakneck speed. But there was time for slower inventiveness, too, on Frank Rosolino's Blue Daniel.

I had not heard John Donaldson before, but was impressed by his neat technique and thoughtful solos, while Messrs Dankworth and Tracey rank as two of the best of their kind – appropriate for two young men who carry the names of two of Britain's most famous jazz dynasties.

The East Coast Jazz Festival has provided some great events so far, and this, surely, was one of the best.