Keith Tippett & Aki Takase @ King's Hall, Newcastle.

Keith Tippett and Aki Takase played a forty five minute improvised set seated at Newcastle University's Steinway pianos. Pianos, prepared, took a hammering from Takase and the light-fingered Tippett offered a welcome contrast.

Takase demonstrates sustained attack with dazzling technique and this afternoon her keyboard partner Tippett revealed an English pastoral approach at times deploying a harpsichord like sound.

Takase possesses a formidable left hand (and a forearm smash!) and both players made use of the usual assortment of wood blocks and, in Takase's case, a shimmering silver platter and table tennis balls - of which one or two were playfully thrown into Tippett's open piano strings (wake up Keith!).

The duo can be heard tonight at Gateshead Old Town Hall in Mujician and trio format with Tony Levin.

Russell