Hackney Colliery Band

Formed in 2008, Hackney Colliery Band (HCB) emerged as a central figure in the UK's brass revival, bridging the gap between traditional British colliery bands and the modern 'brass-hop' movement pioneered by US acts like Youngblood Brass Band. Based in East London, the nine-piece ensemble is comprised of elite session players and jazz musicians whose credits range from the Bollywood Brass Band to major orchestral work.

Their sound identity is defined by a 'totally acoustic' philosophy that nonetheless achieves the volume and impact of electronic music through dense, polyphonic arrangements and aggressive percussion. HCB gained significant cultural traction through their inventive covers of contemporary pop, rock, and hip-hop, leading to high-profile performances at the 2012 London Olympics and the Mercury Music Prize. Critically, they are praised for their ability to maintain the mobility and spontaneity of a marching band while delivering studio-quality jazz-funk. Their evolution has seen them move from a covers-focused street band to a sophisticated collaborative unit, working with artists like Mulatu Astatke and Angelique Kidjo, cementing their position as a versatile pillar of the contemporary British jazz scene.