Drummers are not supposed to upstage the rest of the band. It's a bit like the best man at a wedding wearing a sharper suit than the groom. But then, as one of the very best drummers in the country, Winston Clifford (pictured) is no ordinary musician.

His presence on stage has an enlarging influence on any band, and on this occasion, when Steve Rose on piano, heading up this very special quintet, chose to start the evening with several tough numbers in which the band did not gell easily, Clifford was somewhat like a racehorse almost too eager to get out of the blocks.

Finally, in the last number of the first set, he had his chance with Pasqual's classic Bebe, and gave us a storming solo full of his characteristic swift and forceful counter rhythms that had the polite Spin audience almost rising to their feet. Then in the second set, in a nod to this particular date in February, Clifford took the mike and sang My Funny Valentine with a soulful intensity that made the suit look even sharper.

On the other hand, the rest of the band easily drew level with Clifford, having hit their own stride by the second set. Rob Townsend, a saxophonist with a clear solid tone and an assurance of attack, particularly on tenor, played with a fine balance of energy and lyrical form in numbers as diverse as Parker's Au Privav and Metheny's Farmer's Trust.

This contrasted well with the more chordal and syncopated approach of Steve Rose on keyboard. Rose, more known as a bass player, has the ability to keep up the harmonic depth and rhythmic drive even if his solo lines seemed at times curiously truncated and at the start of the evening appeared slightly unsettled and at odds with the rhythm section.

The final member of the band, bassist Raf Mizraki, well-known to the Spin, seems to move from strength to strength, playing bass lines with supreme confidence and elegant well-shaped solos that were rightly applauded.

Although this quintet was put together for the occasion, the quality of playing and also the great diversity of the music played - from Kenny Wheeler and Jarrett to Parker - made it yet another creative evening of jazz at the Spin.