Junkyard Empire
From Minnewiki
Junkyard Empire is a politically conscious alternative hip hop, rock and jazz band from St. Paul Minnesota that is signed to Media Roots Music.
![Junkyard Empire Promo Shot - (from left to right) Dan Choma, Graham O'Brien, Christopher Robin Cox [Back], Brihanu, Bryan Berry [Front].Homepage](/index.php/Image:Junkyard.jpg)
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Band History
Junkyard Empire was formed in the Fall of 2006 as a collaboration between friends Brian Lozenski and Christopher Robin Cox. Junkyard Empire spun out of an acid jazz concept that took a political turn. Brihanu joined the group to add a vocal and decidedly political presence and Junkyard Empire was born in the months following. The band’s current lineup of Brihanu, Christopher Robin Cox, Bryan Berry, Steve Hogan, and Graham O'Brien was finalized shortly before the release of their third album and first on MediaRoots Music, the Rebellion Politik EP.
Their latest release, out on MediaRoots Music in both vinyl and CD formats, was released on June 25th, 2011 and has already enjoyed a great reception from college radio and local Twin Cities media outlets. Along with the record the band released their first ever music video for the single "We Want". [1]
In past several years, the band has shared the stage with Blue King Brown, the late Eyedea, Kyle "Guante" Myhre, Boots Riley and the Coup, Broadcast Live, Carnage the Executioner, and many others. In the summer of 2009, the band was invited to Havana, Cuba for a 10-day cultural exchange that netted them a track with the one and only Obsession and a full length documentary of their trip.
There have been some very notable protest appearances as well, such as the 2008 Republican National Convention protest concert at the Minnesota State Capital, and a rally concert in protest against Bank of America in Union Square, NYC in April of 2011. They have been compared to Rage Against the Machine, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Talib Qweli.
The band's trombone player and founder, Christopher Cox, now resides in Portland, Oregon and guitarist Bryan Berry is planning to relocate to New York City. The hope is to take Junkyard Empire to a much more national and international direction.
Discography
Oppression, Anger, Awareness, Organize, Mobilize, Reclaim Freedom (aka Reclaim Freedom) - January 3, 2008
This self-produced early brainchild of long time friends Christopher Robin Cox and Brihanu blended Hip-Hop, Jazz, and political lyrics. The album also featured Jaime Delzer on saxophone, Tony Blonigan on guitar, Ben Schaffer on bass, Casey O’Brien on bass, and Adam Katz on drums.
Rise of the Wretched - October 29, 2008
The first album recorded with the band’s current line up, Rise of the Wretched was recorded on July 8, 2008 at the McNally Smith College of Music by a group of audio engineering students as part of their final project. The album was then mastered at Dharma Sound Studios in Santa Monica by Producer Brian Susko. Bryan Berry and Dan Choma both joined the band a few months before the recording session, followed by Graham O’Brien when former drummer Adam Katz moved to Milwaukee.
The Rebellion Politik EP - Summer, 2009
MediaRoots Music (2009)
Acts of Humanity, Parts I and II - June 25, 2011
MediaRoots Music (2011)
Band Members
Brihanu (aka Brian Lozenski) — Vocals
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Brihanu finished his undergraduate studies at Cornell with a double major in Operations Research Engineering and Africana Studies. He went on to receive a Masters from the University of Pennsylvania in Education and will be enrolling as a Ph.D. student in Education at the University of Minnesota. Brihanu is currently a school teacher, a boys group mentor, and a chess coach.
Christopher Robin Cox — Trombone and Keyboards
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Christopher studied jazz performance and trombone at the Manhattan School of Music and later received a degree in Political Science from Sonoma State University. He has toured extensively as a professional jazz musician, and has traveled much of the world on cruise ships, playing in the orchestra. He has recorded and/or played with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Grupo Niche, Stanley Jordan, the Acme Swing Company, and a long list of others. Christopher is also an accomplished grassroots/grasstops organizer who has worked with Grassroots Solutions (founded by the late Paul Wellstone's campaign staff), and helped to organize the Sounds of Resistance Rally and Concert in NYC in April of 2011. He continues to be an activist and full time musician.
Bryan Berry — Guitar
Originally from North Dakota, Bryan has received 3 degrees from the University of Minnesota in Architecture, Mathematics, and Hearing Sciences. In his spare time Bryan is an avid vintage audio gear collector and biker.
Steve Hogan — Bass
Steve brings a deep-rooted thump that the band really needed. He works as a musical engineer by day, and can be heard with other bands around town as well, such Run Stop Explode.
Graham O’Brien — Drums
Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Graham received a degree from McNally Smith College of Music in Recording Engineering. He also completed 3 years in the Jazz Studies program at Columbia College in Chicago. Graham plays in a series of different hip-hop, rock, and jazz bands in the Twin Cities area, most notably the breakout group No Bird Sing. His compositions and production can be heard with the bands Abzorbr. He currently works as a freelance drummer, composer and audio engineer.
Related Acts
Biomimic Productions – Brian Lozenski
Northern Cargo — Christopher Robin Cox
No Bird Sing — Graham O’Brien
Abzorbr — Graham O’Brien
Keston & Westdal – Graham O’Brien
All members have been featured musicians in the Collective known as the Minneapolis Free Music Society, headed by Brian Susko.
Political Affiliations
Junkyard Empire performed at the "No Peace for War Makers Rally” during the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, which was featured in the movie Terrorizing Descent.
The band also worked closely with The League of Pissed Off Voters (aka League of Independent Voters) and Canvassed Neighborhoods in St Paul during the 2008 election. In April of 2011 the band played a historical show in Union Square Park in NYC that was part of a citizen led sit-in protest of Bank of America. In addition, the group also supports the Anti War Committee, Food Not Bombs, and the Fair Trade Organization.
Articles
City Pages on Acts of Humanity
Review of Rebellion Politik
Rift Magazine EP Release Feature
Political Affairs Magazine
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Insight News
Fight Back News
