BRASS ON THE BLOCK PARTY: A VERY IMPACTFUL EVENT ON NOVEMBER 15TH

GET READY FOR SOMETHING UNHEARD IN PHNOM PENH!

On the 15th this month from 7:00 pm, Chew & Bash at Coconut Club in Koh Pich is housing the premiere of a brand new impactful 12-piece brass band: Brass On The Block.

You read correctly, they really are twelve band members, including eight horn players!

Brass On The Block Party brings the block party spirit back, a family and friendly themed event paying tribute to the 1990’s Urban Culture: a spontaneous gathering of people from all origins who savour both a cool BBQ and some dope street music performed by live bands and DJs.

Brass On The Block Party’s program is no exception to the rule:

DVND, a Gospel, Soul and R&B talented vocalist who just arrived in the city, will open the show with her emotional voice and power;
Brass On The Block will then hit the stage with a super groovy performance mixing Cajun, Latino, Funk and Khmer Pop, with various guests such as SK1LZ, a young Khmer DJ & rapper and Cuban artist Néstor García Joa;
DJ Niko Yu, one of the Top 5 DJs in Phnom Penh, will keep you late on the dance floor with some of Brass On The Block’s musicians jamming on his playlist.

It’s not a show, it’s literally three shows in one!

BRASS ON THE BLOCK: WHEN PASSION MAKES FANTASY REAL

It is the hard work of French producer, composer, arranger and multi-task performer Phil Javelle, in partnership with Australian composer and trumpet player Cameron Smith and multilingual Indian emcee-rapper-vocalist Gaurav Raul a.k.a. Initial G, that drove Brass On The Block on the challenging road to this concert. The dedication of all band members made a dream reality, their common passion enabled them to master high end musical arrangements and historical masterpieces.

No less than twelve performers aim to share previously unheard fat brass sound and infectious rhythms. Under Smith’s music direction, a wild pack of hearty players on trumpet, saxophone, trombone, euphonium, guitar and percussion, joined by notorious DJ Niko Yu on mobile turntables and rapper SK1LZ, are spreading hot Funk, R&B and Latin vibes.

Smith on trumpet and vocals leads the horn players: Raphaël Biamonti and Patrick Singeot (France) on alto saxophones, Noah Al-Malt (Egypt) and Bandi Van Kooij (Netherlands) on tenor saxophones, Mariko Fukao (Japan) and Darvel Martinez (Cuba) on trombones, Layne Todd (USA) on euphonium. The rhythm section members are Gaby Courroux (France) on drums, DJ Niko Yu (Denmark/South Korea) on turntables and producer Javelle on keyboards, alto saxophone, clarinet, percussion and vocals.

The band’s lineup showcases their global roots, and, in the spirit of a block party jam, they are always looking for new players, especially Cambodians, to add to the mix. The release of their two videos has triggered a lot of cheerful reactions from both Cambodians and expats. While ‘Ya Move Ya Lose’ is their re-visited version of a New-Orleans Funk standard, the cover of ‘Jeas Cyclo’, a Khmer timeless hit from the Golden Era, has been acclaimed by Cambodians as a new street anthem.

Ya Move Ya Lose

Jeas Cyclo

‘JEAS CYCLO’, SHOWING SOME LOVE TO CAMBODIA

No such project as Brass On The Block could avoid falling into the embrace of the Golden Era of Cambodian Rock N’ Roll. The Funk, Fusion, psychedelic vibes and gritty Garage Rock spirit of Phnom Penh’s 1960’s and early 1970’s icons are patrolling Central Market once again, with that cover of Yol Aularong’s ‘Jeas Cyclo’.

When asked what drove the decision to rework ‘Jeas Cyclo’, Javelle and Smith point to Initial G as the instigator. Raised in Cambodia and fluent in Khmer, the emcee had the feeling that the band members wished to celebrate the Cambodian people’s bravery, solidarity and genuine generosity, which the band’s founders described as the country’s core values.

It was decided that the aforementioned qualities were perfectly demonstrated by the Cambodia Cyclo Conservation and Careers Association, a non-profit which supports the lives of Phnom Penh’s last noble charioteers. With the track’s timeless humour matching the brass band’s spirit, it was an obvious choice to wheel out a fleet of cyclos for the video shoot, directed by Initial G in Koh Pich.

Javelle adapted the catchy brass hooks and melody, mashing them up with a sample from the planetary Disco hit ‘Celebration’ and adding an original rap part written and performed by Initial G’s gifted disciple SK1LZ.

The result of this infectious mix of musical influences is a unique rendition of the classic song, which has already been acclaimed by the video’s viewers, both Cambodians and foreigners alike, Brass On The Block’s TikTok profile gaining 60K followers in less than a week!

Each of the players has been deeply touched by the positive and encouraging feedback they have received so far, and shared their gratitude to the capital’s cyclo drivers for their selfless involvement in the making of the video.

THE TOUCH OF AN EXPERIENCED PRODUCER

Since his very first steps in the Kingdom of Wonder in 2009, Phil Javelle has been committed to crossover collaborations, with years of experience introducing a little Western flair to Khmer classics, both past and present.

From guest starring in the Songkites independent production in 2014 (which revealed Nikki Nikki and Jimmy Kiss to the World) as performer and arranger (adding a Jazz and R&B signature to the iconic “Baby I’m Sorry” hit single), to more recent stage appearances with Kai and Kwan or the string and horn arrangements he writes for Sophia Kao and M-Fatt, Javelle has convinced a wide audience with both expertise and versatility, as well as the ability to unite various cultures and foster successful group projects.

After coming out of the corner with a track as sharp as Jeas Cyclo, there is no doubt that this last producition of his will continue to surprise its existing and potential audiences with out-of-the-box musical choices, unexpected concert venues, visible flash mobs and viral videos. So don’t miss their debut show on the 15^th, you will want much more of them after seeing them on stage.

Purchase your Brass On The Block Party ticket via Wonderpass: https://live.wonderpass.asia/event/brass_on_the_block

BRASS ON THE BLOCK PARTY: A VERY IMPACTFUL EVENT ON NOVEMBER 15TH

GET READY FOR SOMETHING UNHEARD IN PHNOM PENH!