The Hornstars. Funky. Danceable. Quirky (have you seen that video?). But above all, the Hornstars mission is to lift your spirits and leave you humming a tune and with a spring in your step.
The Hornstars sound is big, brassy and hard to pigeonhole. The lineup is fronted by the charismatic Clancy Cullen who combines jazz-trained vocal prowess with amazing stage presence that always gets the party started. The horn section, comprising Daniel Bardan (trumpet), Bruce Cousins (trombone), Russell B Myers (tenor sax) adds catchy hooks and countermelodies with the verve (and dance moves) that only live horns can bring. The rhythm section of Joey Mount (drums), Mike Holloway (bass), Peter Bonett (keys), Gareth Durant (guitar) and Eric Morand (alto sax and percussion) each bring their own influences to the mix. Blues, soul, reggae - it may not all be funk as we know it, but it is definitely funky.
The Hornstars formed in 2016, so the story goes, after founding members were kicked out of a ska band for allegedly “playing on the one”. The band quickly recruited their 9-piece lineup and confected a set of catchy and danceable songs, which they took to the pubs and bars of Melbourne and beyond, and eventually released as their debut album in March 2020.
Over the next couple of years the band’s song writing evolved, sometimes reflecting the challenging times the world was facing (witness the hard funk grooves of "No Gigs" and "Half Way There"), and at others expressing aspirations for brighter future ("Touch", "Say Goodbye"). Emerging between lockdowns in 2021, the new songs were greeted with an enthusiastic reception and sold out shows.
With their second album Half Way There released in August 2022, the Hornstars are regulars on the Melbourne music scene. As well as packing out local venues, the Hornstars have proven their credentials on big stages with opening slots for Ska legends The Allniters at the Corner, and Disco Superstars Boney M at the Palais Theatre, as well as a feature slot at the Esplanade Hotel for the St Kilda Blues Festival. And while we may be living in uncertain times, here is one thing to be sure of - The Hornstars are still having fun in 2023, and so should you.
