While many of the Kingdom’s expat musicians may not be household names (yet!) in Cambodia, they love to interact with their Cambodian counterparts.
Pioneers such as Mekong Pirates and the late, great Kak Channthy’s Cambodian Space Project paved the way for bands of mixed origin to showcase their creations on Phnom Penh’s numerous stages.
Brass On The Block is the latest example of this fusion of Khmer-flavoured international sounds.
It is the 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.
No less than 15 performers aim to share previously unheard fat brass sound and infectious rhythms with Khmer and barang ears alike. 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, will be spreading hot Funk, R&B and Latin vibes on the streets of the Kingdom.
Of course, no such project could avoid falling into the embrace of the Golden Age of Cambodian rock n’ roll. The funk, fusion, psychedelic vibes and gritty garage rock spirit of Phnom Penh’s 1960s and early 70s icons are patrolling the central market once again, with the release of Brass on the block’s first single, an updated New Orleans-second line-meets-marching band-meets-hip-hop style cover of Yol Aularong’s “Jeas Cyclo” (ជិះស៊ីក្ល).
Source: Brass On The Block
When asked what drove the decision to cover 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 to the band’s founders described as the country’s core values. The track is famously also the way most expats first learn to say left and right.
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 (subtitled video coming soon, we hope) matching the marching band’s spirit of triggering spontaneous street and block parties, 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 protege Som Lon Pangnarith a.k.a. SK1LZ, the young talent’s public premiere.
Javelle has long been committed to such crossover collaborations, with years of experience introducing a little European 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 soul 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 impressed with both expertise and versatility, as well as the ability to unite various cultures and foster successful group projects.
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 first viewers, both Cambodians and foreigners alike.
The band’s lineup showcases their global roots, and, in the spirit of a block party jam, are always looking for new players, especially Cambodian, to add to the mix.
For Jeas Cyclo, Smith, on trumpet and vocals, led the procession of musicians. They included Patrick Singeot (France) and Bandi Van Kooij (Netherlands) on alto saxophone, Anna Fomsgaard (Denmark), Noah Al-Malt (Egypt) and Raphaël Biamonti (France) on tenor saxophone, Mariko Fukao (Japan) on trombone, Layne Todd (USA) on trombone and euphonium, Yusbel Ramos (Cuba) on euphonium, Leandro Fonseca (Cuba) on percussion, Gaby Courroux (France) on guitar and producer Javelle on keyboards, alto saxophone and vocals.
DJ Niko Yu (Denmark/South Korea), brought the scratches, while Initial G delivered the classic Khmer-language vocals, backed with bars from local rapper SK1LZ.
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.
Brass On The Block’s first live performance is scheduled for November 15, although the exact time and location has yet to be revealed. A second video is set to be released soon.
After coming out of the corner with a track as sharp as Jeas Cyclo, there is no doubt that the band 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. With enough horsepower to seduce a vast range of clients, Brass On The Block is shaping up to become another of Phnom Penh’s heavy hitters. The founders hinted that they are not above public and branding events, so anyone looking for a large scale collaboration should hit them up on their social media.
