Jacques Loussier Trio

QUEENS HALL, EDINBURGH

BY 10:20pm, Jacques Loussier seemed to have had enough. After a two-hour masterclass in performance, the legendary French composer and pianist declined a second encore despite a standing ovation and rapturous cheers to carry on. But, behind his weathered, charismatic exterior it was clear: Loussier knows exactly how to leave 'em wanting more.

The 72-year-old is famous for adapting the works of Jean-Sbastien Bach (as they have it in French) among other deceased composers and, as that other famous dead composer Frank Zappa would say, he can "put the eyebrows" on classical works other jazz musicians would refuse - ie be too scared - to touch. In short, Loussier can take a piece of classical music written for a 200-piece orchestra and turn it into a jazz opus for trio. If it sounds like a gimmick, in reality it was a rare treat to see Loussier discover new angles on such well-known works.

Black-clad, and bolstered by a rhythm section that backed up the theory of telepathy - busy-busy bass player Benoit De Segonzac and fussy drummer Andr Arpino - Loussier's lucid, liberal piano playing set the tone, stretching from Mozart to Monk in a single bar. Ravel's Bolero ventured from ballet to frenetic swing, a touch of the Latin quarter was introduced to Vivaldi, and Loussier's piano trilled atop bebop craziness during the Bach. It was enough to make you gape in awe, and by 10:21pm people were on their feet demanding more. But Loussier was having none of it. His work here was done.