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Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – “Spin”
Self-titled
Today we have a special release by the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, a 9-piece group from Chicago that includes 8 sons of 85 year old Kelan Philip Cohran. Cohran famously joined Sun Ra’s Arkestra in 1959. When Sun Ra moved east in 1961, Cohran stayed in Chicago, founding the Afro-Arts Theater, and recording with the Artistic Heritage Ensemble for his own Zulu Records. He spread his knowledge of music around schools and prisons, dedicated to helping the communities around him. In the meantime, Cohran had a number of children, all of whom received intense musical training for hours before and after school. The result is the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, a highly talented musical band of brothers. Now they have put out an album with their father entitled Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is well known for engaging live performances and killer records featuring a mess of genres, from funk to hip hop to Latin grooves to African beats. While this release may not drop the heavy funk as much, there are a variety of grooves all over this disc. One of the funkiest numbers is the incredible performance of “Spin,” which you can hear above. Cohran lends some violin uke to the track that builds and builds as the sousaphone lays down a haunting foundation for the horns to play over. Cohran digs out an arsenal of instruments on this CD, including his Frankiphone (aka space harp) invention, an electrified lamellophone he first used on Sun Ra’s Angels and Demons at Play album. This is an impressive record that reveals a deep understanding of musical harmony passed down from Cohran to his sons. Pick up Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at your local record store today.
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