Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Hypnotic
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Sankofa
This is a record that I’ve literally been waiting for 2 years to be released. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is currently based out of Chicago and now features 8 sons, (that’s right, 8 sons…and that’s out of 15 total children!), of jazz musician Phil Cohran (former Sun-Ra Arkestra member) on assorted horns, with honorary family member Chris Anderson on the skins. Their sound is a mix of soulful, stirring, spiritual jazz, funk & Hip-Hop, though I mean “Hip-Hop” here in a purely philosophical way, not the way we generally think of Hip-Hop/Rap music. They self-released a stunning 10” record back in 2007 that now routinely garners $100+ on Ebay and have been performing all over the world in the ensuing years, with Damon Albarn, Tony Allen & Mos Def. This record is the culmination of that work, released on Albarn’s Honest Jon’s record label and featuring guest work from three exceptional drummers, The Heliocentric’s Malcolm Catto, Jamiroquai’s Sola Akingbola and perhaps the greatest living drummer today, a true master, Tony Allen, former drummer for Fela in Africa 70.
Unfortunately the record does not feature Anderson, their regular drummer, his feel for the group and the funk he lays down I think is sorely missed on this record (I guess we’ll have to wait for album 2…), but that doesn’t take anything away from the guest work here, especially by Catto (on the standout’s “Alyo,” “Gibbons,” “Hypnotic” and “Satin Sheets”) & Allen (who is only on the song “Marcus Garvey,” but it’s perhaps the best track on the record). The group also perform reworkings of earlier tracks, “Jupiter,” “Sankofa,” as well as my personal favorites, “Ballicki Bone” and the absolutely transcendent “War,” which even though it’s not as good as the original from the 2007 10”, still sends shivers down my spine when the tempo changes after the drums come in.
This one is guaranteed to be on my year end best of list, an album and group that restores your faith not just in the future of jazz music, but in the future of music in general.
Just as a bonus, here is their original version of “War” in a truly righteous video.