Alongside Amal Baji “June Body” Graves are his brothers: Tarik “Smoov” Graves, Gabriel “Hudah” Hubert and Jafar “Yoshi” Graves on trumpet, Seba “Clef” Graves and Saiph “Cid” Graves on Trombone, Tycho “L.T.” Cohran on Sousaphone, Uttama “Rocco” Hubert on Baritone and Gabriel Wallace, no relation to the brothers, on drums. Their musical lineage runs deep. Their mothers are singers and their father, Philip Cohran, ran the musical gamete from the hothouse of the 1940s to his contributions to Sun Ra in Chicago in the 1950s. Other brothers and sisters are also professional musicians.
The burgeoning of their musicianship began during childhood. They would go to bed listening to their dad rehearse with his band, Circle of Sound. Then wake up at 6 a.m. and practice incessantly before going to school. As youngsters, they became a central part of their father’s Youth Ensemble. They took their musical roots, urban awareness and passion for hip hop and made ends meet on the bustling streets of Chicago.
“We worked hard when we were on the streets. We wanted our sound to inspire young people and we still do,” Rocco said. “Hypnotic stands for [H]elping [Y]oung [P]eople NOTIC[E].”
Fast forward four years and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble has established itself as one of the most musically talented bands, sought after by artists such as Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Maxwell and the Gorillaz.
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble celebrated in their hometown, Chicago, as they hosted the Chicago Experience in partnership with Plastic Beach at the House of Blues. Hip hop legend’s De La Soul and other artists came out to celebrate HBE’s emergence onto the international landscape and their place in the jazz books as one of the most durable and untainted bands to hit the scene.
Their latest compilation, Heritage EP on Choice Cuts, is a force to be reckoned with. Their sound is untouched by any outside force and all listeners will be left with is clear cut musicianship. Compositions like “Alyo” and “Party Started” have clean up-tempo sounds that will take listeners on a brass journey. Melodies like “Jupiter” are mellow and smooth; a sound reminiscent of Isaac Hayes. It will take you back to afros, diamonds in the back and sunroof tops. The Heritage EP is well worth the buy for real music lovers.