JunkyardEmpire
"You have a few hip-hoppers in the Twin Cities that actually get it – the genre was not spawned way-back-when by The Last Poets, Sugar Hill Gang and the rest of them for the primary purpose of dogging women out and posturing like King Kong should be scared to meet you in a dark alley. And you have a few bands who play hellified avant garde jazz. Enter two-in-one force of nature: Junkyard Empire. They come with fiercely innovative music that’ll have you nodding along before you know it, and coat-pulling verse that defies society and the government to get real about positive change."
- Dwight Hobbes
Feeding off of the long tradition of American musical artists speaking truth to power, Junkyard Empire is not just a band, they are a social and political platform: Bringing you "truth in the form of live-ass hip hop." They strive to be much more than another great alternative live hip hop band from Minnesota - of which there are plenty - they want to become a musical force for political and social change in America, playing the music that could be called the soundtrack to America’s long overdue revolution.
Alas, it is not only the politically and socially progressive lyricism of Brihanu that sets this band apart, it’s the fearless improvisation, the curious five-piece line-up with trombone out front, and the unwillingness of this band to water down their message in order to be more acceptable. They want to appeal as human beings, imperfect at times, but important! As Dwight Hobbes put it, "The combination of Brihanu’s forceful lyrics, set to an engaging cadence, and the band’s compositions is nothing short of incredible."
Junkyard Empire came together in 2005, primarily as a jazz/funk/avant-garde group, but as they found a common interest in the rhythms and formulaic freedoms of live hip-hop, the new direction was undeniable. With the big additional goal of somehow creating a musical vibe that was revolutionary, politically and socially, as well as musically, they were fortunate enough to hook up with MC Brihanu. The rest is history.
Since the inception, JE has played many of the Twin Cities finest establishments, including the Fine Line, Mayslack’s Music Lounge, the Uptown Bar, the 331 Club, and Bunker’s. They have shared the stage with such diverse bands as the Snaps, Watson, Leroy Smokes, the New Congress, Tickle Fight, Big Ditch Road, Copasetic, Carnage the Executioner, Heatbox, and Nathan Miller. The varied bills they perform on is yet another wall they are trying to break down; that tendency for bands to fall into a click, only playing bills with the bands they are "in" with. If Miles Davis could open for Led Zepplin at the Fillmore in San Francisco, Junkyard Empire can share the stage with anyone.
Though they have gone through some early growing pains, usually in the form of finding the right guitar player and bass player, the personnel is now well intact, and their debut full-length CD is finally completed. They have stayed true to form, recording every track live in the studio on first or second takes. You will NOT be disappointed.
Politically and musically, the current environment in the United States is calling for artists to provide the necessary communication to provide sparks for the social movements we have been waiting for in this country. Junkyard Empire makes no effort to hide the fact that they want to join the ranks of Rage Against the Machine, Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, and all the rest! People are hungry for what Brihanu and the gang are unafraid to say. In Brihanu’s own words: "It’s important, when you have the platform, to say something that has substance."
Current Live Band:
Brihanu (vocals)
Christopher Robin Cox (trombone/keys)
Bryan Berry (guitar)+
Dan Choma (bass)+
Adam Katz (drums)
+ does not appear on the album
On Reclaim Freedom:
Jaime Delzer (saxophone)
Tony Blonigan (guitar)
Casey O'Brien (bass)
Ben Shaffer (bass)
- Dwight Hobbes
Feeding off of the long tradition of American musical artists speaking truth to power, Junkyard Empire is not just a band, they are a social and political platform: Bringing you "truth in the form of live-ass hip hop." They strive to be much more than another great alternative live hip hop band from Minnesota - of which there are plenty - they want to become a musical force for political and social change in America, playing the music that could be called the soundtrack to America’s long overdue revolution.
Alas, it is not only the politically and socially progressive lyricism of Brihanu that sets this band apart, it’s the fearless improvisation, the curious five-piece line-up with trombone out front, and the unwillingness of this band to water down their message in order to be more acceptable. They want to appeal as human beings, imperfect at times, but important! As Dwight Hobbes put it, "The combination of Brihanu’s forceful lyrics, set to an engaging cadence, and the band’s compositions is nothing short of incredible."
Junkyard Empire came together in 2005, primarily as a jazz/funk/avant-garde group, but as they found a common interest in the rhythms and formulaic freedoms of live hip-hop, the new direction was undeniable. With the big additional goal of somehow creating a musical vibe that was revolutionary, politically and socially, as well as musically, they were fortunate enough to hook up with MC Brihanu. The rest is history.
Since the inception, JE has played many of the Twin Cities finest establishments, including the Fine Line, Mayslack’s Music Lounge, the Uptown Bar, the 331 Club, and Bunker’s. They have shared the stage with such diverse bands as the Snaps, Watson, Leroy Smokes, the New Congress, Tickle Fight, Big Ditch Road, Copasetic, Carnage the Executioner, Heatbox, and Nathan Miller. The varied bills they perform on is yet another wall they are trying to break down; that tendency for bands to fall into a click, only playing bills with the bands they are "in" with. If Miles Davis could open for Led Zepplin at the Fillmore in San Francisco, Junkyard Empire can share the stage with anyone.
Though they have gone through some early growing pains, usually in the form of finding the right guitar player and bass player, the personnel is now well intact, and their debut full-length CD is finally completed. They have stayed true to form, recording every track live in the studio on first or second takes. You will NOT be disappointed.
Politically and musically, the current environment in the United States is calling for artists to provide the necessary communication to provide sparks for the social movements we have been waiting for in this country. Junkyard Empire makes no effort to hide the fact that they want to join the ranks of Rage Against the Machine, Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, and all the rest! People are hungry for what Brihanu and the gang are unafraid to say. In Brihanu’s own words: "It’s important, when you have the platform, to say something that has substance."
Current Live Band:
Brihanu (vocals)
Christopher Robin Cox (trombone/keys)
Bryan Berry (guitar)+
Dan Choma (bass)+
Adam Katz (drums)
+ does not appear on the album
On Reclaim Freedom:
Jaime Delzer (saxophone)
Tony Blonigan (guitar)
Casey O'Brien (bass)
Ben Shaffer (bass)
Genres:
Alternative Hip-Hop, Hip Hop , Jazz
Members:
Brihanu - vocals
CR Cox - trombone/keys/electronics
Bryan Berry - guitar
Dan Choma - bass
Graham O'Brien - drums
CR Cox - trombone/keys/electronics
Bryan Berry - guitar
Dan Choma - bass
Graham O'Brien - drums
Setup Requirements:
-Two vocal mics, one lead, one backup
-One horn mic for trombone
-direct box for analog keyboard
-full drum kit mics (most importantly bass drum mic and overhead mic)
-mic for guitar amp
-mic for bass amp
Backstage Rider:
-3 pitchers of water NOT bottled water!!!
-2 to 4 drink tickets per band member
-if venue serves food, one free meal should be covered for each band member
-free coffee if served
-if possible, an assortment of fruit and nuts
-One horn mic for trombone
-direct box for analog keyboard
-full drum kit mics (most importantly bass drum mic and overhead mic)
-mic for guitar amp
-mic for bass amp
Backstage Rider:
-3 pitchers of water NOT bottled water!!!
-2 to 4 drink tickets per band member
-if venue serves food, one free meal should be covered for each band member
-free coffee if served
-if possible, an assortment of fruit and nuts
