“I CANNOT get enough of these guys, they soothe the soul.” So said the former US president Barack Obama, about the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, who play Strange Brew in the Róisín Dubh next week.
With fans like Obama, as well as Talking' Heads' David Byrne, Q-Tip, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, and Jools Holland, this ensemble - whose music combines jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop - are no ordinary collective. They are made up of eight brothers, all of whom are the sons of Sun Ra trumpeter and songwriter Phil Cohran. They have been playing together since they were children. Their live shows are high energy affairs, get ready to sweat, dance, and be converted.
“At night we used to sneak under the covers and listen to NWA and Public Enemy. Ice Cube and Eazy-E were our heroes," said the band, about their hip hop roots, even though they began performing jazz and classical. "We used to hum. We used to all hum the same way that we play our horns now, everybody on beat boxes or making harmonies, and we’d pass the mic around and rap.”
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble play the Róisín on Friday August 24 at 8pm. Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net, the Ticket Desk at OMG Zhivago, Shop Street, and The Róisín Dubh.
