Pianist composer Randy Weston must have looked good in his desert robes when he exchanged Brooklyn for North Africa 40 years ago to settle in Morocco, tour the continent and "learn how to walk like an African".

At 80 this 6ft 7in giant is still imposing. At a forum before last night's show, he was asked why no other US jazz stars had been drawn to the land of their ancestors as he had. "I was just in the right place at the right time," he said.

That's being too modest. As Weston led the BBC Big Band through his compositions, his African roots proudly nourished each one. Unlike his New York contemporaries, this unique artist discovered a true affinity with African music. The miraculous part was in not losing his formative influences of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell.

Mingling with his Afro-portraits - A night in Mbari (Nigeria), Boram Xam Xam (Senegal) and Kom Ombo (the Nubian Desert) - were glimpses of his Brooklyn adolescence, especially during a solo-piano medley of his bestknown themes - Little Niles, Berkshire Blues and Hi-Fly.

Many pieces were scored in 3/4, a test of sight-reading and solo skill for the BBC's finest.

Tenorist Dave O'Higgins, trumpeter Gerard Presencer, guitarist Phil Robson and altoist Nigel Hitchcock passed with flying colours, but the night's star sideman had to be US double-bassist Alex Blake.

BBC Radio 3's Jazz Lineup will broadcast these delights at 4pm tomorrow.