Tuesday, February 27, 2007
THE NEW DANGEROUS
Mos Def Big Band (feat HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE) BAM Opera House Feb 2007
Found this stuff on youtube holla.
Mos Def Big Band (feat HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE) BAM Opera House Feb 2007
Found this stuff on youtube holla.
Monday, February 26, 2007
THE GOODS
Since everyone's asking, the "SO FRESH SO CLEAN" Barack Obama shirts for the Mos Def shows at BAM were commissioned by Mos and produced by Twin. You gotta check out his dips and fits, HYPNOTIC rocks his gear more than anything. If you don't know him like that or you're falling back off myspace, there's always email.
Since everyone's asking, the "SO FRESH SO CLEAN" Barack Obama shirts for the Mos Def shows at BAM were commissioned by Mos and produced by Twin. You gotta check out his dips and fits, HYPNOTIC rocks his gear more than anything. If you don't know him like that or you're falling back off myspace, there's always email.
Friday, February 23, 2007
TRUE STORIES
Mos Def and HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE, Brooklyn Academy Of Music Feb 2007
You wanna know where we've been.
We've been working! That's no excuse for leaving HYPNOTIC's faithful fans hanging in limbo with no news of the BAM shows with Mos Def...but on the real it's taken a week or so to catch up on sleep, find our keys and generally sort out what the hell happened on 16 and 17 February.
In general the shows upped the ante from that first date in January at Jazz At Lincoln Ceneter. Bigger band (two new saxes, guitar, turntable), new tunes, tighter arrangements. Mos is still experimenting with the whole idea, alternately putting the band through its paces and getting lost in the rapture of it all. As previously reported, the set list was more or less
"Paint The World" Chick Corea
"Real People" Common
"Hip-Hop" Mos Def
"Poison" Bell Biv Devoe
"Rainbows" Madvillain (Madlib + MF Doom)
"My Life Is Real" Mos Def
"Hurricane" Neil Young
"I Put A Spell On You" Screamin Jay Hawkins
"The Grunt" The JBs
"Stakes Is High" De La Soul
but all through it Mos was adding lyrics and versions—his own "Ms Fat Booty" and a double-time of the classic "She Keeps On Passing Me By" by the Pharcyde laid over the second half of BBD's "Poison", which stretched to nine minutes as it turned from the joint you all know and hate to love to become a grown man's reflective lament on love, life and loss. I have a full version from soundcheck so I'll work on making that nice for the people.
Who knows what'll happen next? Mos is talking more shows and maybe some studio time with the project. The shows at BAM were really the first suggestion that the music's only gonna get better if the collaboration continues...you could hear it in the way the band really opened up the sound on "Hip-Hop" and the already insane diesel Madlib beat of "Rainbows". I copped clips of both of those moments too, so you can see what I mean.
Anyways ou know how HYPNOTIC does it—we keep it moving. The band hasn't talked much about the gig, but if you caught em out on the street or in the subway since then maybe you heard couple of the younger dudes playing around with the riffs on "Rainbows" in between their own original tunes.
Oh word this time the shirts read "So Fresh So Clean" with a pic of Barack Obama on em. Nice one Twin.
Mos Def and HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE, Brooklyn Academy Of Music Feb 2007
You wanna know where we've been.
We've been working! That's no excuse for leaving HYPNOTIC's faithful fans hanging in limbo with no news of the BAM shows with Mos Def...but on the real it's taken a week or so to catch up on sleep, find our keys and generally sort out what the hell happened on 16 and 17 February.
In general the shows upped the ante from that first date in January at Jazz At Lincoln Ceneter. Bigger band (two new saxes, guitar, turntable), new tunes, tighter arrangements. Mos is still experimenting with the whole idea, alternately putting the band through its paces and getting lost in the rapture of it all. As previously reported, the set list was more or less
"Paint The World" Chick Corea
"Real People" Common
"Hip-Hop" Mos Def
"Poison" Bell Biv Devoe
"Rainbows" Madvillain (Madlib + MF Doom)
"My Life Is Real" Mos Def
"Hurricane" Neil Young
"I Put A Spell On You" Screamin Jay Hawkins
"The Grunt" The JBs
"Stakes Is High" De La Soul
but all through it Mos was adding lyrics and versions—his own "Ms Fat Booty" and a double-time of the classic "She Keeps On Passing Me By" by the Pharcyde laid over the second half of BBD's "Poison", which stretched to nine minutes as it turned from the joint you all know and hate to love to become a grown man's reflective lament on love, life and loss. I have a full version from soundcheck so I'll work on making that nice for the people.
Who knows what'll happen next? Mos is talking more shows and maybe some studio time with the project. The shows at BAM were really the first suggestion that the music's only gonna get better if the collaboration continues...you could hear it in the way the band really opened up the sound on "Hip-Hop" and the already insane diesel Madlib beat of "Rainbows". I copped clips of both of those moments too, so you can see what I mean.
Anyways ou know how HYPNOTIC does it—we keep it moving. The band hasn't talked much about the gig, but if you caught em out on the street or in the subway since then maybe you heard couple of the younger dudes playing around with the riffs on "Rainbows" in between their own original tunes.
Oh word this time the shirts read "So Fresh So Clean" with a pic of Barack Obama on em. Nice one Twin.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
GRONINGEN: CLASH FESTIVAL
Some shows are just "flashing lights." Last night was one of those shows.
Some shows are just "flashing lights." Last night was one of those shows.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
***SPECIAL SATURDAY ANNOUNCEMENT***
The Medici restaurant 1327 57th St Chicago, January 2007.
For fundraisers and inaugural balls, please EMAIL US.
Friday, February 09, 2007
CELEB STATUS
HYPNOTIC with Blood Diamond's Djimon Hounsou (far right) at NYC Fashion Week, February 2007. Photo via wireimage.com.
HYPNOTIC with Blood Diamond's Djimon Hounsou (far right) at NYC Fashion Week, February 2007. Photo via wireimage.com.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
REAL Gs
Brass, Bottles and Model. HYPNOTIC x NYC Fashion Week, February 2007
HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE did NYC Fashion Week yesterday with the cutting edge Dutch denim label G-STAR. Even though they have stores around the US and (especially) around the world (Tokyo, holla) it was the brand's first time showing in the city so we were glad we could show them a touch of the hottest shit in the streets right now. Also it's cold as hell here lately so we're glad G-Star's coats are so warm.
We smashed round of songs at the beginning of the runway show as fashion editors (Complex, Vibe, i-D, Fader and a buncha Japanese mags) and demicelebs (Misshapes lol) hit the carpet and entered Gotham Hall. Little bit of a problem as some of the editors came back OUT of the show to check us again. Anyways rocking fresh G-Star dips we looked good and sounded even better—the sound racing thru the cold air and bouncing back off the buildings on Sixth Ave the way it does sometimes.
Later we went downtown to Stanton Social and dropped a couple songs at the posh dinner and the wild party that followed. All in all we're really feeling G-STAR...looks like we might be doing some real next level stuff with them this year—custom fits, special releases, world tour. You know, stuff like that.
And now some pics for yalls fan sites and myspaces.
Brass, Bottles and Model. HYPNOTIC x NYC Fashion Week, February 2007
HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE did NYC Fashion Week yesterday with the cutting edge Dutch denim label G-STAR. Even though they have stores around the US and (especially) around the world (Tokyo, holla) it was the brand's first time showing in the city so we were glad we could show them a touch of the hottest shit in the streets right now. Also it's cold as hell here lately so we're glad G-Star's coats are so warm.
We smashed round of songs at the beginning of the runway show as fashion editors (Complex, Vibe, i-D, Fader and a buncha Japanese mags) and demicelebs (Misshapes lol) hit the carpet and entered Gotham Hall. Little bit of a problem as some of the editors came back OUT of the show to check us again. Anyways rocking fresh G-Star dips we looked good and sounded even better—the sound racing thru the cold air and bouncing back off the buildings on Sixth Ave the way it does sometimes.
Later we went downtown to Stanton Social and dropped a couple songs at the posh dinner and the wild party that followed. All in all we're really feeling G-STAR...looks like we might be doing some real next level stuff with them this year—custom fits, special releases, world tour. You know, stuff like that.
And now some pics for yalls fan sites and myspaces.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
SO MUCH THINGS TO SAY RIGHT NOW
Are online music shops the newmusic magazines music shops? Where else are you gonna read reviews about new records? After Rough Trade and Honest Jon's rode for the HYPNOTIC "Jupiter" 10in in Europe last year, Dusty Groove is coming in the game with this to say about the "War" b/w "Mercury" 10in:
"A second sublime single from the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble -- and even better than their first! "War" is a fiercely funky little tune -- a track that states its bold theme at the beginning, then fills the grooves with tight drums, rolling conga lines, and a majestic quality that's way different than typical deep funk -- and which gives the track the righteousness of some lost 70s soul jazz number! The horn-heavy approach continues on "Mercury" -- which is a more slow-building tune that sparkles with joyous energy and a deeply spiritual sound. There's almost a Sun Ra-like quality to the track -- but the great side of Sun Ra, the more inside and soulful one!"
Get the Sun Ra crib sheet crackin! On sale here.
Boomkat, where ya at?
Are online music shops the new
"A second sublime single from the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble -- and even better than their first! "War" is a fiercely funky little tune -- a track that states its bold theme at the beginning, then fills the grooves with tight drums, rolling conga lines, and a majestic quality that's way different than typical deep funk -- and which gives the track the righteousness of some lost 70s soul jazz number! The horn-heavy approach continues on "Mercury" -- which is a more slow-building tune that sparkles with joyous energy and a deeply spiritual sound. There's almost a Sun Ra-like quality to the track -- but the great side of Sun Ra, the more inside and soulful one!"
Get the Sun Ra crib sheet crackin! On sale here.
Boomkat, where ya at?
Friday, February 02, 2007
WE AT IT AGAIN
"War" backed with "Mercury"—two new tunes from HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE. On sale as a limited vinyl 10-inch record here. Video for "War" here.
From the liner notes (?!)...
The songs on this record are a pair of fight songs.
"War" is pure battle sound from beginning to end: it draws your blood and attunes you to the conflict you face. Any master fighter can tell you the realest war is not the one flashing on your television or the one sparking in these streets; it's the one waged within. We dedicate this song to all our gutter people in the world that they be spiritually uplifted and psychologically prepared for the struggles that surround them.
The tones in "Mercury" are based on an ancient Chinese weather tactic whereby an emperor, having assembled his troops for battle, would call on a priest or a shaman to send rainstorms over a rival's army. But while that idea illustrates the scope of military theater, the song's solos represent the ritual of warfare from the perspective of a faceless soldier thousands of years ago: the preparation for battle, the drama of the battle itself and finally, the joy and elation a man feels when he's won the battle and rejoins his family in the village.
"War" backed with "Mercury"—two new tunes from HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE. On sale as a limited vinyl 10-inch record here. Video for "War" here.
From the liner notes (?!)...
The songs on this record are a pair of fight songs.
"War" is pure battle sound from beginning to end: it draws your blood and attunes you to the conflict you face. Any master fighter can tell you the realest war is not the one flashing on your television or the one sparking in these streets; it's the one waged within. We dedicate this song to all our gutter people in the world that they be spiritually uplifted and psychologically prepared for the struggles that surround them.
The tones in "Mercury" are based on an ancient Chinese weather tactic whereby an emperor, having assembled his troops for battle, would call on a priest or a shaman to send rainstorms over a rival's army. But while that idea illustrates the scope of military theater, the song's solos represent the ritual of warfare from the perspective of a faceless soldier thousands of years ago: the preparation for battle, the drama of the battle itself and finally, the joy and elation a man feels when he's won the battle and rejoins his family in the village.
