?The excitement was palpable amongst the crowd at the intimate venue Signal Kitchen this past Saturday as they awaited the arrival of Chicago-based brass collective Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. The enthusiasm could be attributed to the fact that many present had attended the screening earlier that evening of ?Brothers Hypnotic,? director Reuben Atlas? documentary on the band shown as part of the Vermont International Film Festival that premiered last year at the South by Southwest music and film festival.This meant that many were aware of the group?s rich back story. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are eight talented and musical brothers, sons of the jazz trumpeter Phil Cohran, who had been the lead trumpeter in the eccentric and singular Sun Ra Arkestra. The band grew up on the streets of Chicago in the late 1990s and endured the deaths of close friends and family members. As children they were constantly surrounded by music, and were even told by their father to wake up at 6 a.m. every morning to practice before school and then after school.The journey to where the collective are now, starting as street performers and now having collaborated with the likes of Mos Def, Prince, Tony Allen and Wu Tang Clan, was full of tragedy and triumph, and one which Signal Kitchen?s crowd was well versed in thanks to the film.The crowd at Signal Kitchen was now more than ready to see the band behind the story in action, and the resulting performance did not disappoint. Their kinetic peformance more than matched the high energy of the crowd, and they engaged in several entertaining back-and-forths with the audience. Their on-stage demeanor helped cultivate a sense of effortlessness, but there was no denying the technical skill on display. Their sound, clearly rooted in the jazz inherited from their father, takes in elements of hip-hop, funk and soul. Their hit song ?War? garnered a particularly enthusiastic response, but overall the evening was less about recognizable songs and more focused on maintaining a solid groove and energy. In this regard, they were highly successful and it was easy to see how their origins as street performers in Chicago helped them grow in popularity, as they undoubtedly knew how to please an audience. The group was also highly accessible, as they were to be found hanging out and interacting with the crowd after the show. Having in the past sold out the likes of the Sydney Opera House, this was a testament to the authentic love of music and performance that was more than apparent in this unique collective of hypnotic brass brothers.