Live Review: The Senegambian Jazz Band, Hello Tut Tut

It's rare for a support act to grab the attention of a crowd so early on, let alone on a Sunday night. However, the audience is in a giving mood tonight, and Hello Tut Tut soak it up before giving it all straight back. The gypsy-jazz septet build from tense, swirling instrumentation to total boogie times, with band leader and clarinettist Joshua Gluck throwing himself and the group straight into our hearts. Hello Tut Tut are like a more skilled and better-looking version of the Cantina Band from Star Wars and, as closing tracks 7 Step and Jeff's Corner ring out, there is no doubt as to the number of new fans that Hello Tut Tut have accumulated tonight.

An ethereal flow of melody emanates from the stage as the five members of The Senegambian Jazz Band begin to build a soulful crescendo. Then, without warning, the group launch head first into an astounding explosion of jazz-funk power. Punters scramble to the front of the stage, some frantically looking for more musicians and in disbelief that it's only five humans creating what is being heard - this is going to be special.

The band launched their debut album twice before tonight, and this shows through their amazing musical prowess. Vocalist Amadou Suso takes centre stage with his kora, haunting us with that tremendous croon while plucking at the traditional African stringed instrument. He creates harp-like waves of song before suddenly picking up speed and riffing like a rock god, with bassist Yoseph Bekele following in similarly expert suit.

Suso leans back to let his bandmates shine, tapping at his kora to create a new world of percussion in this already dense melting pot of music. Saxophone lines, guitar licks, drum solos galore - the band is an obvious meeting of some of the most talented musicians around, mixing syncopation under snaking lines of world/jazz wonder. Bizarre time signatures and breakdowns lead to some difficult dancing moments during the party in the crowd, but it's simply a joy to marvel at these musicians doing what they do best.

Suso stumbles on an incredible kora line and begins chuckling to himself. "I was just checking if they are ready to fly to Africa," he says, before nailing the riff on the second go and launching the group into even more incredible pulses of their unique musical style. The quintet is phenomenal to observe due to their masterful playing, but what truly shines is how much fun they have together.

The line to the merch stand doesn't waiver for the entirety of a show, which definitely says something good for this unbelievable group.