Atzmon is a man of many parts. A leading jazz saxophonist and composer, but with a flourishing rock n’ roll career with Ian Dury. An Israeli whose recording band is named after the Orient House headquarters of the PLO in Jerusalem. A sceptic about Western cultural values (see his website) who has immersed himself in American jazz and chosen to live in London.

Last week at the Spin at the Wheatsheaf, there were more paradoxes on display. If you listen to his recent records with his Orient House ensemble, you’ll find relaxed, spacious, highly original music. It’s very much in the jazz idiom but with many world music colourings and a wide variety of moods.

What he played with the resident Spin trio was nothing like that. It was a series of hot, loud and very fast extended improvisations, based mostly on jazz and jazz-rock standards. The very large and very young audience (this is quite something for a jazz club) absolutely loved it. I loved it too at first, but after a while I felt like saying “OK you can do ecstasy, but can you also do tenderness? Or laughter? Or reverie? Or tranquillity?” He can, and he’s done it on record, but he didn’t do it at the Spin.

Pete Oxley on guitar seemed to flourish under the torrent of notes and let loose some very fine solos, particularly on the blues number. Bassist Raf Mizraki and drummer Mark Doffman shone less brightly than usual. Mizraki’s solos were sometimes difficult to follow because Atzmon was showing off by accompanying on two saxes at once.

Perhaps Atzmon was just giving the punters what he thought they wanted, and on the evidence of their reaction – ecstatic – he got it right. Except for this punter.

Gilad Atzmon performs tonight at the Railway Inn, Culham, with Mark Latimer on piano.

Roger van Schaick