Gig review: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Published on Tuesday 20 October 2009 19:01

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE **** ORAN MOR, GLASGOW

HYPNOTIC Brass Ensemble are the ultimate band of brothers. All eight of the group's brass players are sons of jazz trumpeter Phil Cohran, who played in Sun Ra's legendary Arkestra. As kids, they would practise by day and listen to hip-hop on the sly by night.

With Hypnotic, they have succeeded in blending their love of jazz and hip-hop, while injecting a host of other influences to their funky hotpot. HBE spent years busking in their native Chicago and then in London, where they were picked up by Damon Albarn's label, Honest Jon's Records. Word has clearly got round, because the basement of Oran Mor was packed for this.

The octet lined up in front of their drummer (presumably an honorary brother), with Tycho Cohran, on sousaphone, centre-stage. Trumpets, trombones and euphonium blended seamlessly on top of his bassline, making light, tight work of the set.

Most of their compositions sounded like the theme music to some cool 70s cop show, but their funky mlange was also infused with raps, the almost unavoidable vibrations of Miles Davis, plus nods to Afro-Caribbean styles, while the playful Party Started fused the house music rhythms of Chicago with the groove of their Brooklyn funk forebears Brass Construction. All this, and synchronised hip-swaying and horn-swinging too.