Molly Tigre

This Brooklyn quintet's eponymously named debut (available digitally and on cassette) features a twin saxophone front-line, with Mitch Marcus and Chris Hiatt doubling on Farfisa organ and flute respectively. Marcus is the chief writer of the material, alongside bassman Ezra Gale, who is certainly no subtle low-end prowler but more of an aggressively picking solo stylist. The rhythm duo are also consistently hyperactive, particularly percussionist Ibrahima Kolipe Camera on vigorously clattering djembè and congas.

Molly Tigre's inspiration arrives from Africa, with Ethiopia doubtless holding a special grip. They also cite Saharan desert rock as a source, but that's not openly evident on these selections. Perhaps this is because they choose to avoid the six-string guitar. Broken organ sounds clip through ‘Slush Fund’, while saxophones duel and the bass won't accept less than the foreground. The album concludes with ‘Yekermo Sew’, one of Mulatu Astatke's finest tunes, providing a relatively slinking way to finish, given that all of the earlier numbers operate on such a bullish plateau, ripe with free jazz overblowing saxophone toughness. It's refreshing to be immersed in an instrumental set that's devoted to dancing, toughened up for consumption by the post-jam-band generation. Molly Tigre imbibe raw juices from various parts, mixing them into flavours of their own making.