Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at Cargo

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at Cargo

03 February, 2009
by: SpecialK

Thursday night at Cargo saw the return of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and the bar being raised in terms of live music performance and what you should be doing with the last £9 on your credit card. Arguably, a zones 1 and 2 Travelcard, packet of Nik Naks and a pint of Redstripe can hardly compare to the truly life affirming experience of watching living legend Tony Allen accompany eight horn blowing, Chicago born-brothers all sprung from the loins of London jazz musician Kelan Phil Cohran (Sun Ra Arkestra, co-founder of Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians).

It is hard to imagine a more musically talented family than Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Bearing in mind it's all gone a bit Crime Watch on the Jackson front what with Janet's indecent nipple exposure and Tito's apparent extortion attempts on that karate expert from Devon (?!!) not to mention the chronicles of poor old Michael. The point to be made is that when it comes to musical collaboration, history has proven that nothing creates a more genuine sound than shared experience, vision, love (and often blood) between talented musicians.

The family atmosphere resonated on and offstage with the brother's contagious energy and the naturally rousing effect a brass band possesses, moving the crowd to almost spasmodic excitement (reflected in the dance technique of several audience members). As the group kicked off with the mesmerizing and majestic Sankofa the atmosphere was electric and the sides of the mobbed stage flanked with UK stars Damon Albarn, Ty and Natty.

Ty was first up, performing the unnecessary yet well received role of hype man, he layered praise on the band and Tony Allen as the virtuosic founder of Afrobeat launched into a beautiful solo which rendered Ty speechless (possibly for the first time in his life) and saw him flapping a likkle African rhythm around the stage in trance like reverence. The hip-hop heavy weight later held it down UK style over the intricately layered, ridiculously good Baliky Bone, the collaboration demonstrating how well the two genres blend when executed by performers with style and skill.

Thank goodness for Ty because when Natty burst on to the stage like a seven year old with Attention Deficit Disorder, it was an embarrassing spectacle for all who gazed upon it, not least when he seemed to come down from his Skittles high to start an incongruous and nonsense filled rant about bombs and imprisoned acquaintances. At one point it seemed he would have to be forcibly removed from the stage when fortunately he ran out of clichés and stepped away from the mic, dreadlocks flying, fist pumping. Albarn was even worse, ruining a beautifully mournful composition with a droning, monotone ballad which led to a loud chorus of boos and a general feeling that it would be better if he stuck to organising travel arrangements and the like.

It is unsurprising that Natty and Damon were completely out of their depth, especially when to riotous applause, legendary Senegalese performer Baaba Maal took to the stage, incandescent in sparkly suit jacket and bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase 'plus very special guests.' His voice added to the ethereal feeling of the evening, as he stood beside Tony Allen, the two smiling, gripping each other's hands and finishing the song in a brotherly, heart warming embrace.

Love was clearly a strong theme of the evening and even on songs like 'War' there was a playfulness in performance including synchronised dance routines, heavily based on the type of grinding, winding and imaginary booty slapping favoured by advocate of the S-curl Ginuwine. Not an easy task with a huge sousaphone wrapped around ones body but all in a days work for L.T and the other Hypnotic boys. It did get a bit much for one lady in the crowd (the official term is ‘dickmatized') she threw her top at the trumpeters, one of whom then announced over the mic that it 'smelt like sausage.' Ouch.

More than just a performance by pioneering musicians from all walks of life and all over the world, this particular Hypnotic gig felt like a celebration. The last song featured a triumphant explosion of horns over which they shouted, 'I get the party started' the crowd participating with 'You keep the party jumping.' 360, drummer and brother in spirit, bear hugged Tony Allen and lifted him up to rapturous applause and Hudah, resplendent in an Obama T-shirt raised a fist in thanks and was mirrored by an adoring, exhausted and sold out Cargo.

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SpecialK