“I CANNOT get enough of these guys, they soothe the soul.” So said US president Barack Obama about the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, who play Strange Brew in the Róisín Dubh on Sunday July 31 at 8pm.
With fans like Barack Obama, 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.
“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 HBE is 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.
Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net, the Ticket Desk at OMG Zhivago, Shop Street, and The Róisín Dubh.
