Oh, Yasiin! News broke a couple days back that Yasiin Bey (f.k.a. Mos Def) will be holding a one-night, October 14 concert backed by The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at London’s O2 Arena. Get your tix quick quick! Presenters Soundcrash are billing it as “the live hip hop show of the year…” which is fair to say. But then in an insane PR move, they actually double back and question themselves on this! “The hip-hop show of the year?” they ask, “MOS DEFinitley.” :DDDD
Assuming Bey is the known factor for most here, The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is an all-brass octet made up of jazz trumpeter Phil Cohran’s sons. Cohran is perhaps most notable for his role in seminal Afro-Futurist groups the Sun Ra Arkestra and Earth, Wind and Fire. In addition to their touring work, backing so many legends such as Tony Allen, De La Soul, Femi Kuti, and Prince, they’re major session musicians, recording with Erykah Badu, Wu-Tang Clan, and Maxwell, to name a few. They also have their own long discography of self-released live recordings and records with the great Honest Jon’s label.
In other Yasiin Bey news — though not really news, but something that slipped a tad under the radar some time ago — it seems he is working with Steven Julien a.k.a. Funkineven. The excellent London producer who released his debut LP Fallen earlier this year featured Bey on his regular NTS Radio slot last year. It was all new shit, with Bey spitting in a relaxed manner over Julien’s loose, techy rhythms. Take a listen. Who knows if these are signs of a new LP or what, but regardless, there is new shit from Yasiin Bey prod. Steven Julien available to stream free online for you.
After you listen to the NTS show, or before, or even during, my friend, take a watch of Bey performing a brilliant suite of Fela Kuti’s “Water No Get Enemy” and his own “New World Water” backed by The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. This won’t be the first time they’ve all worked together, actually.
More about: Mos Def, The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Yasiin Bey
