Ombak Explores Antonyms on Wednesdays
When I think “every other Wednesday,” I immediately think Fight the Big Bull at Cous Cous. This summer, however, the spot is being given to Bryan Hooten’s Ombak due to The Great White Jenkins’ national tour that’s stealing a couple Big Bull members. Here are three reasons why you should check out the band every […]
When I think “every other Wednesday,” I immediately think Fight the Big Bull at Cous Cous. This summer, however, the spot is being given to Bryan Hooten’s Ombak due to The Great White Jenkins’ national tour that’s stealing a couple Big Bull members. Here are three reasons why you should check out the band every two weeks at Cous Cous.
Bryan Hooten says:
The short-term goal for the group is to get an album recorded. I would like to use this to book more gigs on the East Coast. I also plan to use the group in an educational capacity through workshops and performances at middle schools, high-schools and music camps around Richmond. Those of us in the new/free/avant/whatever jazz scene can’t ignore the fact that we must actively cultivate an audience for this music. By reaching out to young musicians we can spark an interest in this style of music that will have great benefit not just for us but for all the players that carry this torch. Fight the Big Bull has done a great thing in exposing more people to risk-taking music in Richmond and we hope to continue that trend.
I look forward to the Cous Cous spot for many reasons. As a composer, the most important thing I can do is to get my music played by the best musicians around. I look forward to performing consistently because all the individual practice and group rehearsal in the world can’t open the music up as much as playing live. Cous Cous is a great venue. I love the fact that the band can more or less set up in a circle, which enables us to hear each other better and generally communicate more thoroughly as an ensemble. John [Yamashita], the owner, has been super-supportive of everything Fight the Big Bull has done and I look forward to working with him with my group. One of my musical heroes, Tim Berne, said once that he loved surrounding himself with musicians that were better than he was. With this group I have tried to do that. Brian, Trey and Cameron are phenomenal musicians that make every composition more than the sum of its parts.
Matt White, leader of Fight the Big Bull, says:
Ombak, sick purveyors of the tightest robot beats you have ever witnessed AND residents of Richmond and friends to us all will be taking over Cous Cous for a few weeks this summer. Get out of the river, call all your friends and come hear Richmond’s very latest and tightest jazz gem. Sounds from Brian Jones, Trey Pollard and Cameron Ralston and tunes straight from the caves of steel that we call Bryan Hooten’s mind.
Ombak’s press release says:
Bryan Hooten’s Ombak yields devastating rhythms, wide angles and harmonies from the depths of space.
Savage/Serene
Crystalline/Shattered
Redshift/BlueshiftThe musicians in Ombak bring with them their experiences from Fight the Big Bull, Ilad, Bio Ritmo, Devil’s Workshop, No BS, Bungalo 6, Modern Groove Syndicate, Jandek, Agents of Good Roots, Andrew D’Angelo, Ken Vandermark, Brian Jones groups and various Patchwork Collective concoctions.
Ombak will be taking over the Fight the Big Bull night at Cous Cous for the summer. We will be keeping the chairs warm and providing Richmond’s new-music faithful with huge beats, thumping bass-lines and daring compositions that rock and refract.
Ombak personnel: Bryan Hooten: compositions, trombone; Trey Pollard: guitar; Cameron Ralston: bass; Brian Jones: drums, percussion.
Every other Wednesday (starting May 28)
Ombak
Cous Cous
10 pm – 12:30 am
Free, 21+
[where: 900 W. Franklin St., Richmond VA 23220]
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