For those unfamiliar with the soulful and downright
bombastic sound of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, prepare
to be musically electrified. The brass horn band is
remarkable not only for its raucous street performances,
but also because all eight members are from the same
legendary family. Sons of anti-establishment Sun-Ra
trumpeter Phil Cohran, they were raised on Chicago’s
South Side as part of their father’s utopian experiment.
Wearing homemade clothes, eating vegan and getting
up for family band practice every morning at 5:00,
their music was meant to uplift the African-American
community. They keep tight control over their talent,
distributing their music directly to the masses on the
streets. But as their star starts to rise, collaborations with
Mos Def and concerts with Prince lead to entertaining
the labels they long eschewed. At a crossroads, they
must decide whether their father’s principles are really
their own. Myrocia Watamaniuk, Hot Docs
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