Thursday, May 31, 2007
HBE X G-STAR @ ARNHEM MODE BIENNIAL
So we flew in to Amsterdam we went out to the G-STAR campus, first to get fitted in fresh dips for the show in Arnhem later that week. Team G-STAR has been hard at work in the atelier studying HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE and getting ready for the collaboration. It was kinda crazy, they'd been working off of reference photos of the band from our last meet up at NY Fashion week back in January...
The gear was a change-up from how most people see the Bros, but if you really know HYPNOTIC you know we're ever changeable and we've got crazy styles. Throw the G-STAR gear on us and we're gonna take it to our dimension. Check out Rocco getting hisB2K Bow Wow modeling game on.
Anyways after the fitting, Roland from G-STAR gave us a tour of the company's campus—it really gave us a sense of perspective for just how cool the relationship could be, just looking at all the other projects they've worked on in the past, everything from a line of dope hoodies and tshirts with everything designer Marc Newson to denim-covered rhinos.
Of course that's just part of the story. Next post i'll tell you what they did to the INSTRUMENTS.
So we flew in to Amsterdam we went out to the G-STAR campus, first to get fitted in fresh dips for the show in Arnhem later that week. Team G-STAR has been hard at work in the atelier studying HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE and getting ready for the collaboration. It was kinda crazy, they'd been working off of reference photos of the band from our last meet up at NY Fashion week back in January...
The gear was a change-up from how most people see the Bros, but if you really know HYPNOTIC you know we're ever changeable and we've got crazy styles. Throw the G-STAR gear on us and we're gonna take it to our dimension. Check out Rocco getting his
Anyways after the fitting, Roland from G-STAR gave us a tour of the company's campus—it really gave us a sense of perspective for just how cool the relationship could be, just looking at all the other projects they've worked on in the past, everything from a line of dope hoodies and tshirts with everything designer Marc Newson to denim-covered rhinos.
Of course that's just part of the story. Next post i'll tell you what they did to the INSTRUMENTS.
Friday, May 25, 2007
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS WITH PASSPORTS
Tarik Graves aka Young Smoov aka Smoov Harvey and Uttama Potolo Ra Hubert aka Rocco aka Roc Obama for President stunting their newly-issued state issued IDs, Philadelphia May 2007.
Yeah so Rocco and Smoov went to Philly and got passports in like 2hrs. Yall know what that means, we international again. Next week HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE is out in Netherlands at the Arnhem Fashion Biennale. It's a fashion x art look and we'll be rocking with our team at G-STAR so you know next week's updates are gonna that raw.
Let's hope Rocco makes it, after getting his passport he fell down some stairs in the subway or something like that. SMH.
Tarik Graves aka Young Smoov aka Smoov Harvey and Uttama Potolo Ra Hubert aka Rocco aka Roc Obama for President stunting their newly-issued state issued IDs, Philadelphia May 2007.
Yeah so Rocco and Smoov went to Philly and got passports in like 2hrs. Yall know what that means, we international again. Next week HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE is out in Netherlands at the Arnhem Fashion Biennale. It's a fashion x art look and we'll be rocking with our team at G-STAR so you know next week's updates are gonna that raw.
Let's hope Rocco makes it, after getting his passport he fell down some stairs in the subway or something like that. SMH.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
BACK AT IT
Yeah yo...Lincoln Center...Brooklyn Academy of Music...makes sense that now we're set to play a JAMES BROWN TRIBUTE at the APOLLO THEATER with MOS DEF. That'll be June 11. It's a benefit for the Apollo in memory of JB so you know there's gonna be plenty of light and heat in the place. Plus Maceo is schedule to perform!
For tix call 800.618.3444.
PS Yall know you missed shots of these hoodies, RIP Sean Bell.
UPDATE: Yo people are saying tix for the show are like $1000, $850 of which is tax deductible. That's diesel, someone pls hook up an after party for us in Harlem so we can all kick it.
Yeah yo...Lincoln Center...Brooklyn Academy of Music...makes sense that now we're set to play a JAMES BROWN TRIBUTE at the APOLLO THEATER with MOS DEF. That'll be June 11. It's a benefit for the Apollo in memory of JB so you know there's gonna be plenty of light and heat in the place. Plus Maceo is schedule to perform!
For tix call 800.618.3444.
PS Yall know you missed shots of these hoodies, RIP Sean Bell.
UPDATE: Yo people are saying tix for the show are like $1000, $850 of which is tax deductible. That's diesel, someone pls hook up an after party for us in Harlem so we can all kick it.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
*SPECIAL SATURDAY ANNOUNCEMENT*
YEAH SO THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IN THE BAND IS THAT WE WONT BE PLAYING IN THE 42ND STREET SUBWAY STATION FOR A WHILE
# posted by EQUINOX @ 9:16 PM
Friday, May 18, 2007
FADER FRIDAY
Fader's a good magazine—it's what you might read if you weren't clicking back here all the time for updates, or wandering the dusty streets of this latter-day Babylon trying to find out where HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE is playing next. Anyways the writers over there have been doing an okay job at tracking down the Bros, hopefully they'll keep covering us in bigger ways. Anyways big up to Eddie Stats for the write-up and Geordie Wood for the photo. If you wanna read the whole thing you can buy it at a newsstand or get it for free thru iTunes as a podcastimo pdffington.
I tried to gaffle the article part below, try to click on it but im not sure the text will be big enough.
Fader's a good magazine—it's what you might read if you weren't clicking back here all the time for updates, or wandering the dusty streets of this latter-day Babylon trying to find out where HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE is playing next. Anyways the writers over there have been doing an okay job at tracking down the Bros, hopefully they'll keep covering us in bigger ways. Anyways big up to Eddie Stats for the write-up and Geordie Wood for the photo. If you wanna read the whole thing you can buy it at a newsstand or get it for free thru iTunes as a podcastimo pdffington.
I tried to gaffle the article part below, try to click on it but im not sure the text will be big enough.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
L.A. WRAP-UP PARK IV: HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND
Couple more for the ladies and the stans out there...back toregularly scheduled the usual programming tomorrow.
Couple more for the ladies and the stans out there...back to
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
L.A. WRAP-UP PART III: ON THE BEACH PART II
Cid pumping that wax, Venice Beach May 2007.
More flicks from the West Side. After rocking that song with the band on Fri night Ms Maia came out to Venice to check up on the band over the weekend. She brought her piccolo and got it crackin with Clef on baritone, Hudah on trap drum and Yosh laying on the trumpet.
Below bros are gonna complain most of the pics are of Yosh but hey he was getting around that day. That's him teaching baritone to his little cousin, him with a gutter punk chick in search of shrooms and him with a couple of Afrikan dimez who brought us vegan motherland cuisine.
Cid pumping that wax, Venice Beach May 2007.
More flicks from the West Side. After rocking that song with the band on Fri night Ms Maia came out to Venice to check up on the band over the weekend. She brought her piccolo and got it crackin with Clef on baritone, Hudah on trap drum and Yosh laying on the trumpet.
Below bros are gonna complain most of the pics are of Yosh but hey he was getting around that day. That's him teaching baritone to his little cousin, him with a gutter punk chick in search of shrooms and him with a couple of Afrikan dimez who brought us vegan motherland cuisine.
Monday, May 14, 2007
L.A. WRAP-UP PART II: ON THE BEACH
It's a grind and hustle week in the HQ. I'm just gonna throw up mad BEACH WEEK pics and VISUALIZE.
It's a grind and hustle week in the HQ. I'm just gonna throw up mad BEACH WEEK pics and VISUALIZE.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
SONGS FOR THE FATHER:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELAN PHIL COHRAN
80 Years Young! KPC shining on his Earth Day, Chicago May 2007.
Last night HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE was privileged enough to play a private engagement for the boss of the bosses: the musical mystical Kelan Phil Cohran. In addition to throwing "octogenarian" on a resume that already includes multinstrumentalist, astronomer, educator, activist and Africanist—as well as boldface names like Sun Ra, EWF and Pete Cosey—KPC literally fathered HYPNOTIC. He's "Brother Phil" to a lot of people in Chicago and around the world, but he's "Pops" to Hudah, Cid, LT, Baji, Yosh, Clef, Rocco and Smoov.
So it was a good a homecoming as any when the band pulled out the brass to play "War" and the new song for their father at a South Side Chicago dining hall packed with family and close friends. As you'd expect the sound had more levels than usual and everyone in the place was overwhelmed by the irrevocable reality of it all—one man's lifetime of relentless struggle and restless perseverance made really real, not just in the flesh but multiplied ad infinitum and then blasted through the Now to suggest some future way for the people. Amiri Baraka once wrote he was "strong from years of fantasy and study" and at eighty years old Kelan Phil Cohran is a testament to that life of a visionary who never compromises, who never sold out.
At some point during the evening, a close family friend got on the mic and said that growing up she thought of the Cohran order as "back to Africa...the hard way." Thing is, when life is this rich, you sometimes forget how hard the way is.
UPDATE: KPC will be giving an "innerview" today via Swank Society. It's at 6:30pm Chi time (7:30pm NYC time)...Check it out!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELAN PHIL COHRAN
80 Years Young! KPC shining on his Earth Day, Chicago May 2007.
Last night HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE was privileged enough to play a private engagement for the boss of the bosses: the musical mystical Kelan Phil Cohran. In addition to throwing "octogenarian" on a resume that already includes multinstrumentalist, astronomer, educator, activist and Africanist—as well as boldface names like Sun Ra, EWF and Pete Cosey—KPC literally fathered HYPNOTIC. He's "Brother Phil" to a lot of people in Chicago and around the world, but he's "Pops" to Hudah, Cid, LT, Baji, Yosh, Clef, Rocco and Smoov.
So it was a good a homecoming as any when the band pulled out the brass to play "War" and the new song for their father at a South Side Chicago dining hall packed with family and close friends. As you'd expect the sound had more levels than usual and everyone in the place was overwhelmed by the irrevocable reality of it all—one man's lifetime of relentless struggle and restless perseverance made really real, not just in the flesh but multiplied ad infinitum and then blasted through the Now to suggest some future way for the people. Amiri Baraka once wrote he was "strong from years of fantasy and study" and at eighty years old Kelan Phil Cohran is a testament to that life of a visionary who never compromises, who never sold out.
At some point during the evening, a close family friend got on the mic and said that growing up she thought of the Cohran order as "back to Africa...the hard way." Thing is, when life is this rich, you sometimes forget how hard the way is.
UPDATE: KPC will be giving an "innerview" today via Swank Society. It's at 6:30pm Chi time (7:30pm NYC time)...Check it out!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
L.A. WRAP-UP NO. 1: FAIS DO DO
OK so Friday nite we played an amazing show at LA's Fais Do Do. You already know how we do so there's no need to go on an on about we ripped it blah blah blah—especially since the show was blessed with the presence of the inimitable Maia, a mother to HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE and an amazing vocalist, flautist, harpist and actor in her own right.
Ms Maia got onstage and ripped freestyle lyrics to the band's newest song: a remix of a Tony Allen beat we're turning in to Honest Jons. I was gonna sit on it til later this week but i guess Mother's Day came early. Enjoy.
OK so Friday nite we played an amazing show at LA's Fais Do Do. You already know how we do so there's no need to go on an on about we ripped it blah blah blah—especially since the show was blessed with the presence of the inimitable Maia, a mother to HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE and an amazing vocalist, flautist, harpist and actor in her own right.
Ms Maia got onstage and ripped freestyle lyrics to the band's newest song: a remix of a Tony Allen beat we're turning in to Honest Jons. I was gonna sit on it til later this week but i guess Mother's Day came early. Enjoy.
Monday, May 07, 2007
L.A. STORIES
360 shining on Venice Beach, May 2007
Sometimes we get complaints that our drummer doesn't get enough love on the blog. He does his thing though, so today 360 is holding down the HYPNOTIC internet all by himself.
We're flying back to the East Coast today, having played all weekend in LA and gotten our melanin up as well. Full Cali wrap-up beginning tomorrow...
...which also happens to be 8 May which is Kelan Phil Cohran's 80th birthday. We'll be back in the Chi for that momentous occasion—can't give the full details on all that yet but it's supposed to be major!!
360 shining on Venice Beach, May 2007
Sometimes we get complaints that our drummer doesn't get enough love on the blog. He does his thing though, so today 360 is holding down the HYPNOTIC internet all by himself.
We're flying back to the East Coast today, having played all weekend in LA and gotten our melanin up as well. Full Cali wrap-up beginning tomorrow...
...which also happens to be 8 May which is Kelan Phil Cohran's 80th birthday. We'll be back in the Chi for that momentous occasion—can't give the full details on all that yet but it's supposed to be major!!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
THROWBACK THURSDAY: DRAPERS AND A CRISP POLO EDITION
That was then: Hudah and Yosh on Venice Beach, 2004.
And this is what they sounded like. "It's like a made-for-TV-movie," Hudah said. "Each day I feel like I'm waking up for another episode."
Well Los Angeles tomorrow night we're yall bringing the next episode: next level HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE.
The show's at Fais Do-Do 5257 W Adams Blvd (Cloverdale/Adams Blvd. midway between Fairfax Ave. and La Brea Ave. / one block south of the 10 Fwy). $10 at the door and all the usual goods inside (ps you cant get them shits at Amoeba!).
Saturday you know we gonna be back on Venice Beach!!!
That was then: Hudah and Yosh on Venice Beach, 2004.
And this is what they sounded like. "It's like a made-for-TV-movie," Hudah said. "Each day I feel like I'm waking up for another episode."
Well Los Angeles tomorrow night we're yall bringing the next episode: next level HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE.
The show's at Fais Do-Do 5257 W Adams Blvd (Cloverdale/Adams Blvd. midway between Fairfax Ave. and La Brea Ave. / one block south of the 10 Fwy). $10 at the door and all the usual goods inside (ps you cant get them shits at Amoeba!).
Saturday you know we gonna be back on Venice Beach!!!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
ORANGE ALERT!!
Yo no other way to say this but WE'RE COMING TO LOS ANGELES. THIS WEEK. Call it our Cinco de Mayo West Side Jumpoff Mini Tour 2007 and holla back.
It's all starting with a Friday nite show at Fais Do-Do.
You know it's gonna be whyle out so stay tuned for details on that show and other goings down. Obviously you know we're gonna hit Venice Beach...and we're gonna hit hard!!!
Yo no other way to say this but WE'RE COMING TO LOS ANGELES. THIS WEEK. Call it our Cinco de Mayo West Side Jumpoff Mini Tour 2007 and holla back.
It's all starting with a Friday nite show at Fais Do-Do.
You know it's gonna be whyle out so stay tuned for details on that show and other goings down. Obviously you know we're gonna hit Venice Beach...and we're gonna hit hard!!!
