Abstract Hip Hop Orchestra are an allstar Hip Hop band that offer a live music celebration of some of the most celebrated and influential Hip-hop artists and their music. They chat to us off of the back of their stella YO1 performance.
How was playing YO1 for you?
We had a great time playing at YO1 festival, the crowd was great, the sound was excellent and the festival ran really smoothly. We were well looked after.
What was the best thing you saw?
It’s got to be De La Soul. I’m a big fan of De La, so it was great to see them live, playing old and new tunes. Their new album (mixtape) ‘Smell The D.A.I.S.Y’ that was produced by Dilla is amazing
Is it hard organising so many incredible musicians when writing and rehearsing?
In short – YES! It’s not difficult because of musicians, just the number of musicians. But I come from a Big Band Jazz background so I’m used to the scenario. Its got to be organized and everything in place before a note is played. By that I mean, all the music written with no mistakes or potential problems, you’ve got to foresee any situations that might arise and deal with it before we even rehearse. You’ve also got to have a strong and clear vision of what each tune should be like and how it should be performed.
What are the band doing next?
I’ve got some new originals to finish off and get them gig ready, which is always exciting. We have a couple of festivals coming up – Chapel Allerton Festival in Leeds and Freedom Festival in Hull in September. Both wicked festivals!
Is brass making a comeback/has it already made a comeback?
I’m not sure it’s ever really gone anywhere, I just think trends change and people give things new names and re-categories things. If you go to New Orleans you’ll find brass bands on street corners playing popular tunes, not just old jazz standards but pop tunes of today. They’ve been doing that for 100 years and called it jazz. When the ‘Hot 8’ brass band collab with Mos Def, it’s called Hip-hop. There are definitely more live Hip-hop acts that use brass or are based around brass and that’s a good thing. There’s space for both DJ, sample and electronic based Hip-hop and for Hip-hop built around instrumentalists. We live in a different time from when Hip-hop was born and many of us don’t have the living situations of the Bronx so perhaps that’s why we are seeing larger Hip-hop bands around. Plus the music of Hip-hop has spread into so many other areas of music that it naturally evolves from funk bands or reggae bands.
What is…
The song that wakes up in the morning?
I’m always listening to different stuff every day and all different styles and genres. I usually play a track I’m working on to kick-start some ideas, and then end up digging out music related to it either in style or vibe etc. So this week has been ‘Electric Relaxation’ by A Tribe Called Quest. So because of that I’ve also been listening to ‘Mystic Brew’ by Ronnie Foster, which is where the sample is from. Both beautiful tracks, love em’.
The song you play when you’re angry?
I try not to get angry! I don’t ‘use’ music in that way, I’m always surrounded by music or thinking of a track so it keeps a good vibe. However, listening to soul music chills me out.
The song you play on the perfect summer’s day?
The list is endless…. I couldn’t narrow it down to one song, it would have to be a LONG playlist. Maybe starting off with some Stax stuff, like Otis Redding, then some jazz, maybe some Grant Green or Count Basie, then some funk, like Donald Byrds Blackbyrds, then some Hip-hop, Tribe, Dilla, Madlib…… Man! It’s endless!!
The song that’s been most unfairly overlooked?
Well, that’s the problem with opinions, everybody’s got one! A track means different things to different people, as it should. As long as it connects with someone that’s what’s important.
Your favourite jazz song?
Again, very difficult to narrow it down. ‘Wise One’ by John Coltrane is up there. Beautiful, heavy.
The song that never fails to get you dancing?
I’m not much of a mover but anything heavy like ‘Ante up’ or ‘Raw Shit’ by Jaylib gets my head nodding
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