The stage is covered with every kind of weird and wonderful percussion instrument, but Ensemble Bash - virtuosi Chris Brannick, Joby Burgess, Stephen Hiscock and Andrew Martin - begin by going back to their contemporary classical roots. They perform Graham Fitkin's Hook, an intense, early-1990s concert piece that combines smart, interlocking marimba parts with a big bass drum.

Then there's John Cage's Second Construction with metal percussion, water gong and prepared piano (played with a bottle for siren effects). This classic, the perfect vehicle for the ensemble's gleeful reverence, is followed by Nyive Iwa, a dance piece from northern Ghana.

When Nana Vasconcelos comes on for a solo performance, we enter yet another world. Whether playing berimbau, singing through a mic linked to a digital delay, or picking up a succession of rich-hued percussion instruments, he creates complex multi-layered improvised soundscapes from the simplest materials. "Let's go to the jungle," he shouts, before filling the air with echoplexed cries and chatter.

In the second set, Vasconcelos plays along with Ensemble Bash and violinist Madeleine Mitchell for a stirring, asymmetric Turkish dance. The changing timbres are a constant delight, with marimba, vibraphone, steel drums and cimbalom all put to great use. When they play Peter Garland's Cherry Blossom, another Ensemble Bash favourite, Vasconcelos adds improvised talking drum and voice before moving seamlessly into another terrific solo set.

Yet when all the percussionists come together for the closing number - a Ghanaian piece for hand drums - the collaboration unravels: the bashing lacks panache. Vasconcelos is riveting to watch, but there are times when you have to shut your eyes to Ensemble Bash's mannerisms; they sound much funkier than they look.

Fortunately, the concert's good-natured and generous spirit provokes a warm audience response. Vasconcelos and Ensemble Bash return bearing berimbaus for a final, exultant chant.