HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE / “Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Mixtape”

Source: Breath of Life – (BoL Mixtape – September 28, 2009)
02 Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Mixtape.mp3 (46.51 MB)

 
This is a nine member band: 8 brass horns and a drummer. Just so happens that the eight horn players are related. They are all the sons of legendary Chicago musician Phil Cohran. The line up is:
Gabriel Hubert ("Hudah") - trumpet
Saiph Graves ("Cid") - trombone
Tycho Cohran ("LT") - sousaphone
Amal Baji Hubert ("Baji" or "June Body") - trumpet
Jafar Baji Graves ("Yosh") - trumpet
Seba Graves ("Clef") - trombone
Tarik Graves ("Smoov") - trumpet
Christopher Anderson ("360") - drums
Uttama Hubert ("Rocco") – baritone
 
They were mainly a street band before making their first record in 2004. Since then they have performed with a wide variety of artists and released a number of albums and singles either independently or on small labels.
 
When I first heard them, it reminded me of some of the gospel brass ensembles out round Virginia/DC. Although they resemble a New Orleans brass band on the surface, they are not really a jazz band and they tend to play straight rhythms, heavy backbeat. They pay a lot more attention to ensemble harmony than do many of their New Orleans counterparts but on the other hand they don’t have the jazz chops nor the secondline rhythm syncopation that’s second nature down in the Crescent City. Additionally, almost all of their music consists of original compositions unlike New Orleans brass bands who draw on a common repertoire of traditional music, popular tunes and one or two originals.

I’ve gathered a quick sampling of Hypnotic’s music and ended with a selection from a live broadcast that features afrobeat drummer Tony Allen sitting in with Hypnotic.
 
Needless to note, the excitement level receives a significant boost with Tony Allen driving the beat. Tony is amazing, amazing, amazing—not loud nor bombastic, not flashy nor thunderous solo happy—but simply, coolly amazing. I’ma stop. Yall got ears—you can hear. Yall got feet—you can dance. You know Tony Allen and Hypnotic are a significant variation of black musical expression.

Enjoy.

—Kalamu ya Salaam

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Mixtape Playlist
 
01 “Venus” - The Brothas
02 “Toussaint” - The Brothas
03 “Baji” - The Brothas
04 “Tarik” - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble New York City Live
05 “War” - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble New York City Live
06 “Jupiter” - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Enhanced
07 “Sankofa” - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Enhanced
08 “Marcus Garvey” - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Enhanced
09 Concert excerpt: Tony Allen & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble @ Cargo, London

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