In the late oughts, into the teens, the first few years of your correspondent’s absorption into and involvement with the Phnom Penh music scene, it was reasonably common for large bands to form – the trailblazing Mekong Pirates, the early gigs of the Cambodian Space Project, and the almost unwieldy Phnom Penh Hippie Orchestra spring to mind – on the premise of having a good time rather than actually making financial sense. The advent of the new outfit Brass on the Block – you can see how many are involved in this video (and this video) – there is an echo of this aesthetic. Your correspondent popped along to hang around before a band rehearsal this week to take a temperature or two or ten.
Cameron Smith (trumpet and vocals):
Fun not necessarily economic? That’s exactly how we’re operating, yes. On a fun level for sure. Being a horn player I try to find other horn players wherever I go. And it’s this style of music that I like, this New Orleans style that I’ve been lucky enough to be able to put together bands like this wherever I’ve lived. Here in Phnom Penh I’ve found two really good expat tuba players – not one but two! Needed a tuba, so I went to Bangkok and bought a tuba and here we are. Lots of horn players, lots of nice musicians, lots of nice people – the more the merrier is the moral of the story.
Jonathan Dunn (trombone):
I was here when the band first gathered, and played in a practice. Cam and I had corresponded in the month or so before that, and we’d been exchanging some music through chats, we had some common friends in faraway places. And it’s really my dream to do some kind of second line Nawleans funk. I did a pilgrimage to New Orleans a couple of years ago, just to go see the trombone players and whatnot. And Cam said actually, we’ve got a group getting together next Tuesday. And I was, like, Ah! I want in on this. I’m not resident here, but the timing for this gig was just about right for me to give it a go. It’s an amazingly welcoming gang of folks.
Noah Al-Malt (tenor saxophone)
I was just super-excited to join a group of such world class musicians. I’m very thankful to Jonathan for throwing me into this group. Some of the players I knew, some of the players I had heard of, and some of the players I didn’t. I went through the chat to scope out everybody and listen to what they had online, and it seems like a group of really top people to play with. And we’ve been making some really groovy world-influenced music. I’m really excited for the show.
Phil Javelle (piano, clarinet and vocals):
If you want to do a professional band, a purely professional band with 12 musicians, I don’t think in any country in the world it’s easy to do. And I believe all the famous ones – the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, whoever – they started like we started. It’s a gathering of friends that are linked with the same passion, we love the sound of brass, and we just want to make it happen. Not everyone can make all the rehearsals, not everyone can follow at the same pace. When we play together it’s such fun that we forget all the constraints. We have got friends from Siem Reap who would love to be part of the band but it’s not easy for them to join. We hope in the future that some Cambodian musicians will join – some of them are very good players but not really good readers, and I think it would be a very good way for them to learn to play arrangements rather than just improvising.
Bandi Jan van Kooij (tenor saxophone):
I got involved because I’m in Checkered Past with Cameron and Phil, and they’ve been talking about this for a while. It’s been a long time since I’ve played in a full brass ensemble with multiple horn players. The rich sound and the different harmonies – we’re able to make completely new sounds with horns that weren’t heard here before. But also everyone in the band is a professional musician who studied music. With loads of classical training under our belts makes rehearsal so smooth – Phil and Cam write most of the charts, send them out, and then we just sit down and play it. I wasn’t expecting to find this kind of project in Cambodia.
Initial G (MC):
I’ve been 27 years in Cambodia, got here when I was nine or ten. I got my start when Kosal Khiev asked me to open for a poetry show – at the time I wrote a lot but didn’t share. Then I became a regular at a now closed venue called ShowBox, mostly at open mics, singing Bon Jovi covers. Eventually I started rapping, and then working with Mike Dynamo in bands like Hypnotic Fist Technique. Later during the COVID period Phil and I were working on a new outfit with Nathan Fanoni. Then Cameron came and took over the town. I was invited along, came to the first practice, watched what kind of extreme skill everybody was packing – I’m just a freestyler at the end of the day that jumps onto whatever genre is in front of me. I was also director, facilitator, recruiter and Cambodia-problem-solver for the two Brass on the Block music videos – including obtaining 13 cyclos from the National Cyclo Association for the shoot.
Sk1lz (guest MC):
I became involved in this project thanks to a recommendation from my brother, Sothic, who introduced me to my sensei, Initial G, to this project. They were looking for a Khmer rapper to feature on the track Cyclo and that’s how I joined forces with Brass On the Block. What truly excites me about this project is the coming together of musicians from all around the world. It’s a beautiful fusion of diverse talents and cultures. In the past, I was part of a rap collective called Elevate. I’ve also released a solo mixtape titled Now or Never, showcasing my hip-hop style. Currently I’m learning to DJ under DJ Moto’s guidance. Additionally, I’ve been involved with Genjutsu, a nu-metal band, broadening my musical experiences even further. Now I’m proud to represent Cambodia through rapping on Cyclo.
Mariko Fukao (trombone):
I’m so excited this band. We started to get together before the summer break, so it’s been quite some time. I have been waiting for our first performance for months now. Phil and Cameron invited me to join the group, and I’ve played with big bands in Japan, but I don’t particularly have experience with funk music. But I thought it’s nice to try.
Darvell Martinez (trombone):
When the band first started I didn’t know exactly what it was about. Then I came to the first rehearsal, and we started to slowly prepare the music. At the time I didn’t realise that we would have a singer, I thought it was instrumental music. When I came back from holiday I find that we have a singer, and rappers. I am very happy with that, this is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Gaby Couroux (guitar):
I first joined the project on the guitar, and it was just thrilling to be part of such a big band, with all the brass and woodwinds, so different than just regular jazz trio or rock’n’roll band stuff. Also to meet Initial G, and to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. Recently I switched to drums, and I’m excited to start drumming again. It’s been fun so far and I’m looking forward to the show.
DVND (pronounced Divinity) (opening act):
I’m a neo-soul artist in Phnom Penh, I come from California, I lived in Texas, performed all over California and Texas – my music is playing on the radio there. I came to Cambodia to experience something new, outside America. I’m very passionate about music, I play piano and trombone and I sing. I also compose, produce and write original music. I’m really excited to see what Cambodia has in store for me. I will be opening for Brass on the Block, it’ll just be a small set, some cover songs that I really love, what me and Phil were able to agree on. It seems to mesh really well. There will be songs for lovers and single people as well.
Also involved are Layne Todd (tuba), Patrick Singeot (also sax), Raphael Biamonti (alto sax) and DJ Niko.
Brass on the Block play their first show on Saturday 15 at Chew & Bash. Tickets $15 on the door, under 12 free.
Photo: supplied. Most of them….