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The Brow Horn Orchestra
The Brow Horn Orchestra
The Brow Horn Orchestra
Background information
OriginPerth, Western Australia, Australia
GenresAfro-electro / Pop / Ska / Hip-Hop
Years active2009–present
LabelsIndependent
MembersNicholas Owen
Karri Harper Meredith
Benjamin Lanzon
Sky Eaton
Benjamin Fear
Past membersLyndon Blue
Angelique Ross
Alex Vaughan
Lauren Todhunter
Jake Chaloner
Rhian Todhunter
WebsiteOfficial website

The Brow Horn Orchestra are a multi-award winning high energy five-piece outfit from Fremantle, Western Australia. The band features an evolving lineup and sound with a core member fixture featuring Nicholas Owen (vocals, keyboards, arrangements), Karri Harper Meredith (trombone, synths), Benjamin Lanzon (drums, triggers), Sky Eaton (trumpet, vocals, synths) and Benjamin Fear (guitars, vocals). Their sound is a fusion of afro-electro/dub/ska/ Indietronica/hip hop/pop outfit

Biography

Nicholas Owen and Karri Harper Meredith started playing together in 2007 as a busking duo performing on the streets of Fremantle in the business district, dubbed at this stage simply The Brow. Their initial primary aim was to raise money for expensive musical equipment to add to their live show and over the year slowly built up an impressive array of instruments, lights and PA gear which completely overshadowed other small two piece setups performing on the local circuit. The duo played largely jam based material and some early renditions of songs which evolved onto The Brow Horn Orchestra's touring repertoire. In 2008, the pair introduced two new members with Alex Vaughan aka Quills (or later to be known as Emcee Rezide) and guitarist Rhian Todhunter joining the band for the initial goal to enter a university band competition (National Campus Band Competition). The four piece were moderately successful making their way through to the state finals but shortly after planned to make a bigger comeback the following year. The band expanded their lineup with members Sky Eaton (trumpet, vocals, synths) Angelique Ross (clarinet, tenor saxophone) and Lyndon Blue (violin, bass, guitar, vocals) also joining the band and in late 2009 (the year after) went on to win the state final of the competition and were flown to the Gold Coast, Queensland to perform in the national finals at Sea World.[1] Shortly after their return in late November 2009, live drummer Benjamin Lanzon joined the band and they changed their name to The Brow Horn Orchestra. This became the spiritual birth of the band with Ben breathing new life into the act.

Their first notable gig with the new lineup (and debut for drummer Ben Lanzon) was performing at prominent community radio station RTRFM's 'Seriously Sound System' summer dance festival in December 2009[2] where the band also debuted a track Goliath which went on to be their first leading single and remains a crowd favourite today. The band started to build popularity making other small local festival appearances including in January, The 2010 Western Australian Circus Festival [3] and a month long residency at Leederville Hotel's infamous Funk Club in March 2010.[4] During this period, members Lauren Todhunter (alto saxophone, percussion) and Jake Chaloner (electric guitar) also joined the band.

In May 2010 the band were nominated for an award at The West Australian Music Awards and were asked to play at the awards night. In line with this they received their first national recognition with a demo recording of their track Dreams Do Come & Go receiving airtime on Triple J [5] ahead of their performance at the 2010 WAMi Awards Night.[6] In July 2010, Rhian Todhunter left the band with Jake and Lyndon taking on more bass and guitar duties. Later in the year in August 2010, the band won the prestigious Next Big Thing Competition to critical acclaim from the local street press publications voicing that the band were Perth's next big thing whether they took out the title or not.[7] During this period the band were taken on by JumpClimb an emerging events and management company who fell in love with the band after they played a show the team organised called Coopers Sunday Green marrying the brilliant concept of lawn balls and live music. In October 2010 guitarist Jake Chaloner, not liking the electronic direction the band was heading, started making his other project playing in James Teague's band a priority before shortly leaving a few weeks later.

Over the summer of 2010 - 2011 the band grew further in popularity with a sold out debut single launch at Subiaco, Western Australia's Llama Bar[8] and slots on big local festivals including Southbound [9], Nannup Music Festival,[10] Future Music Festival, Hyperfest (2010 & 2011) and supporting a variety of nationally and internationally touring acts including playing to a sell out crowd on New Year's Eve supporting Atlanta hip hop outfit Arrested Development.[11]

The band released their debut EP in September 2011 [12] to a sold out 800 capacity crowd with numerous tracks off the record receiving airplay from national radio station Triple J, with single 'Every Single Day' played on medium rotation and later nominated for the Hottest 100 voting list.[13] In November 2011 members Alex Vaughan and Lauren Todhunter called it a day to pursue solo careers and an events management company the pair had formed. Regular guest collaborator, Benjamin Fear then joined the band full time ahead of their December 2011 debut east coast tour taking up duties on guitar and vocals as an emcee. As the band's popularity and busy schedule continued over the 2011 / 2012 summer bass player and violinist left the band in a full time capacity to focus on his own band and main project Seams as Brow Horn Orchestra was becoming too demanding (but will still remain a semi regular guest) and Sax / Clarinet player Angelique left the band to pursue study in Melbourne studying at a circus school but will continue to play with the band whenever they are in Melbourne. The Brow Horn Orchestra have spent the first few months of 2012 writing a new record with the new core lineup and their evolving sound and plan to release the record mid 2012.

Band members

Current lineup

  • Nicholas Owen — vocals, keyboards, arrangements, production
  • Karri Harper Meredith — trombone, synths, percussion
  • Ben Lanzon — drums, electronic percussion, triggers
  • Sky Eaton — trumpet, synths, vocals
  • Ben Fear — guitar, vocals

Guest Musicians / Fill Ins

Other guest musicians live / featured on various tracks:

  • Lyndon Blue (violin, bass, synths, vocals)
  • Alexandra Chetter (flute)
  • Kaprou Lea (alto sax)
  • Donovan De Souza (vocals)
  • Jimmy 'lips' Murphy (trumpet)
  • Minky Gardener (vocals)
  • John Brown (drums, percussion)
  • Shannon Booyens (trumpet)
  • Wafi Zainal (tuba)

Discography

  • "Two Fires EP" - EP - July 2012
  • "Can't Afford This Way of Life" - EP - September 2011[14]
  • "Goliath / Do You Want To Sing Forever?" - December 2010

Compilations

  • Kiss My WAMi (2011 / 2012) ("Goliath / Don't You Wanna Sing Forever?")
  • Next Big Thing 2010 Compilation CD (2011) ("Don't You Wanna Sing Forever?")
  • Perth Sound & Found Compilation CD (2011) ("Every Single Day")
  • Hyperfest 2010 / 2011 Festival CD (2010) ("Goliath / Every Single Day / Can't Afford This Way Of Life")
  • Discover a New World of Music - WAM / Murdoch University (2010) ("Dreams Do Come & Go [Demo]")

References

  1. ^ http://members.aaca.net.au/documents/download/64
  2. ^ "The Brow Horn Orchestra // CUT & PASTE DVD". Cutandpastedvd.com. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  3. ^ "2010 Festival Performers". Lunarcircus.com. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  4. ^ "The Brow Horn Orchestra, Residents at Funk Club through March". Funkclub.com.au. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  5. ^ "Dreams Do Come And Go by The Brow Horn Orchestra at J Play". Jplay.com.au. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  6. ^ http://wam.asn.au/Events/WAMiFestival/WAMiFestival2010/2010WAMiAwards/tabid/168/Default.aspx
  7. ^ "Drum Media Perth Magazine". Streetpress.com.au. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  8. ^ http://www.theaureview.com/perth/the-brow-horn-orchestra-boom-bap-pow-delirious-ol-wright-llama-bar-perth-16-12-2010
  9. ^ http://www.southboundfestival.com.au/artists/the-brow-horn-orchestra
  10. ^ http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:K-ZkpI6EbGAJ:www.nannupmusicfestival.org/media/NMF%2520DL%2520Flyer%25202011.pdf+nannup+%2B+brow+horn+orchestra&hl=en&gl=au&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgiL-ppyHQWAPE9XHlyduOlu-MARVfBjMLuWpEbxcui7jogQJemyp4pjytOMA8FfzxVzZMvWV4npjS-WtHBv0NXvsaVG_Q5xRA22PAL_uKAdHDNPvWAOonQnPfz6R5OfRjicYL8&sig=AHIEtbTumJPhQDVowLGGrWHTw6ai85VWZQ&pli=1
  11. ^ http://www.ispyperth.com/whats-on/music-and-festivals/details/75-Salt%20on%20the%20Beach%20and%20Funk%20Club%20present-%20New%20Years%20Eve%20Extravaganza
  12. ^ http://www.seenandheard.com.au/the-brow-horn-orchestra/
  13. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/homeandhosed/playlist/s3283015.htm
  14. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oOXo6X48ug
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