Based out of the United House of Prayer for All People in Harlem, The McCollough Sons of Thunder is a 13-piece brass shout band that was assembled in 1962. For 44 years the band has been captivating audiences and winning critical acclaim around the world, including an appearance at the homecoming of South African leader Nelson Mandela.

The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble began as a family group on the south side of Chicago in 1986. The eight horn-playing brothers were led by their father and teacher Kelan Phil Cohran, lead trumpeter of jazz group Sun Ra and mentor to the Pharaohs (later called Earth Wind and Fire). In 1999 the brothers combined their efforts and began performing a new style of brass music they termed “hypnotic.” These ambassadors of brass are now building an international following with their signature infusion of imaginative jazz arrangements with a hip-hop sensibility.