Funky quartet Bella Elektra keep it classy and brassy

Not long ago, Hong Kong band Bella Elektra were performing at Beating Heart in Western district when part of the sound cut out.

They were deep into a performance of Regnum, a funky, jubilant anthem. Their saxophonist Oscar Azahar was midway though a solo, but he kept going. Vocalist Jeff Anello joined in. So did trumpeter Michal Garcia. "I didn't even notice anything had happened," Azahar says. "I thought 'This is cool. Really cool creative choice'."

Despite the gaffe - a cable was disconnected by their jumping DJ - the band played on. The crowd went wild; it was just trumpet, saxophone and vocals. The music reached a crescendo and the beat kicked back in. The lights swung and flared, just like it had all been planned.

"That's the inside story," says Anello. "We didn't stop or apologise. We just rolled with it."

The funky quartet is well-served by this touch-and-go attitude, which remains a cornerstone of their musical process. Bella Elektra began as a jam band nearly two years ago, the brainchild of Giedrius Sruogis, also known as DJ Gie, who needed brass players for a corporate event. Sruogis, formerly a New York DJ, was on the lookout for kindred musicians in Hong Kong. "I started calling people I knew in search of horns," he says, "and it led me to Oscar and Michal."

The trio soon got a regular night at the Central Wine Club, where they began turning heads. Anello joined about five months later.

"At the Central Wine Club, we were free to jam," says Sruogis. "But once we got going, we decided to make original stuff. The jamming is fun for us, we could go on and on, but people start to get glazed eyes. Once we started writing, we got more attention. We thought, 'Oh now they're looking at us'." "Seven minute jams are really nice," says Anello, "but when you start to play other venues, like Hidden Agenda or Beating Heart, it's a real show, so you have to keep it tight."

The result is an unexpected, eclectic, funky stew of electronic beats, Latin sounds, and freestyle R&B vocals. On their Tumblr page, the band identifies their sound as "high concept hip hop". "Like if Jamiroquai and Bonobo had a lovechild," says Garcia.

None of the band members are looking to be labelled. Azahar says, "Ultimately, the music comes down to how it feels. Does it feel good: yes or no? Does it sound good: yes or no? Are people going to enjoy this, are they going to have fun? If we're not having fun, then they won't."

Together, the band is relaxed, enthusiastic, and quick to laugh. They clearly benefit from a close camaraderie.

"The sound changed when Jeff got in there," says Sruogis. "When someone brings something to the table it changes the music. The music takes on a life of its own. When there are four people working on something, you can't expect it to be one vision. For us, it's all about togetherness, an energy."

In the future, the band are looking to expand their audience, release an EP, continue on the festival circuit (they played Clockenflap last year), record more videos, and keep making music. They're also dedicated to nurturing what they see as a budding local music scene.

Sruogis says: "There are so many great bands in Hong Kong. People who that complain that the music isn't good here aren't looking deep enough, far enough."

For their part, Bella Elektra just want people to enjoy themselves.

Anello says, "We try to have fun on stage. And if you're having a bad day - stop having one. And have a good time."

Bella Elektra, September 20, 9pm, Hidden Agenda, 2A Wing Fu Industrial Building, 15-17 Tai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, HK$150. Inquiries: 9170 6073