HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND FRIDAY 30th SEPTEMBER at the @DOGSTARBRIXTON http://www.hackneycollieryband.co.uk/
HCB was formed in 2008 by a group of London horn players in a Hackney kitchen. They were inspired by New Orleans marching bands, Balkan brass and the contemporary hip hop-influenced brass coming out of the US, and decided it was time for a British take. Keen to bring some of the UK’s own brass band heritage to the table, they quickly recruited two killing drummers and strapped marching drums to their chests. The result was LOUD, funky and – importantly – mobile. With some fat sousaphone basslines in the mix too, they were ready to start terrorising the London streets.
The HCB repertoire is made up of arrangements and compositions from several different band members. People brought in whatever tunes they liked to the rehearsals, creating a pad made up of 90s hip hop, re-worked pop classics, cartoon samples borrowed from MF Doom, rock ballads given a brassy makeover, Balkan-tinged original tunes and more. The musicians in the band come from all over the musical spectrum, ranging from work with London jazz group Porpoise Corpus to the Bollywood Brass Band, from Jarvis Cocker to John Eliot Gardiner, from rock bands to soul and funk outfits. All of this combines to produce the sound you hear today, and it’s constantly evolving; these days at HCB gigs it’s not uncommon to hear a melodica feature back-to-back with a baritone sax/sousaphone battle (the sousa won).
Personnel
Trumpet, flugelhorn: Nick Ashwood
Trumpet, melodica: Steve Pretty
Alto & baritone saxophones: Cath Roberts
Tenor saxophone: Tom Ward
Trombone: Dave Odams
Trombone: Jonathan Sweeney
Trombone: Magnus Dearness
Sousaphone: Jeff Miller
Snare drum, hi hat & cymbals: Luke Christie
Bass drum, wood block, cowbell & cymbals: Olly Blackman
Band scrapbook
“I’m excited about Hackney Colliery Band” - Gilles Peterson
Hackney Colliery Band played on Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide, BBC Radio 1
“Make sure you get with the HCB – and that’s coming from HBE!” - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Hackney Colliery Band’s single Africa played on Huey Morgan’s radio show May 22nd 2011,BBC 6Music
Hackney Colliery Band live on Robert Elms’ show May 20th 2011, BBC Radio London
Hackney Colliery Band @ Jazz Cafe recommended on Lauren Laverne’s show - BBC Radio 6Music
“Brass-heavy goodness from the nine-piece headliners” - TimeOut Recommended
“This incredible 9-piece brass band having been ripping up Wah Wah dance floors for a couple of months now with their awesome live shows” - Wah Wah 45s
“A frankly stellar line up … the unusually monikered Hackney Colliery Band take care of the jazzier end of things” - Hackney Citizen preview of Land of Kings, April 2010
“possibly the most talked about and singular beat combo in the borough” - Hackney Citizen interview, Dec 2010
Clubs picks of the week, The Guardian
“a ‘close-your-eyes-and-you’re-in-a-Hovis-advert’ moment before completely destroying our eardrums with ‘bangin’, modern music.” – Clash Music.com
“hot property for the more eclectic dj’s out there” - Hugh Dewinton
Hackney Colliery Band played on ResonanceFM
“The wonderful Hackney Colliery Band don’t bother with traditional hymns and dirges and instead serve up a (Lancashire) hotpot of funky tunes, inspired cover versions (Human Nature, Africa) and all-round good times.” - lecool.com
“One of the highlights of the week” - Arbuturian.com
“Excellent! Will be playing this often!” - Jake The Sax (Ok_Ma)
“Fresh from the jazz pits of East London, Hackney Colliery Band make the transfer from much-vaunted live act to a recording ensemble with their killer version of Kelis’ ‘I Got Your Money’….”- Boomkat
“…a great cut for anyone with a love of brass or just a love of unexpected covers of pop songs.”- Juno Plus
“…tearing up the stage with some tight punchy playing … an incredibly refreshing change to some of the run of the mill, pork pie hat and skinny jeans wearing Indie blah-ness” -thehookandsling podcast
“The Hackney Colliery Band going at it full throttle in the jam-packed Trinity Pub in Borough” -skittlemustard.blogspot.com
“I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed listening to music so much.” - thecolossusblog.com
“Trust me, you’ll likey” - Les Enfants Terribles
“A beautiful thing” - twitter.com/linkcontrast
“LOVED the band last night. Thanks so much. We had a great night last night and the music created a great party atmosphere.” - Dover Soul
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