Lowdown Brass Band at Edgewater Music Fest

Lowdown Brass Band is a ten-piece horn set from Chicago, Illinois. They have been together since 2006. The Lowdown Brass Band, hailing from Chicago, IL, is a nine-piece, horn-driven ensemble with strong roots in the New Orleans 2nd Line Tradition. A fierce sousaphone sets the foundation for trumpets, trombones and saxophones to intertwine in a cacophony of tight lead lines, spontaneous call-and-response and bombastic brass attacks. While taking a page from the jazz and blues giants of the past, the LDB melds modern funk, hip-hop, reggae and pop into a unique new style. Lowdown forges new ground with original compositions that challenge the listener and player alike, breaking down the barrier between performer and audience. Mike August, Drums Raphael Crawford, Trombone Steve Duncan, Trombone Shane Jonas, Trumpet David Levine, Baritone Saxophone Lance Loiselle, Sousaphone Chris Neal, Tenor Saxophone Kevin Tague, Trumpet Andy Zelm, Trombone They have released one self-titled album, in 2008.

1. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an indie/punk band, with roots in traditional rock. They formed while Leo was living in Washington, DC, but now have members based around the northeast United States. Leo came from Bloomfield, New Jersey. The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Ted Leo, guitarist James Canty, bassist Marty 'Violence' Key, and drummer Chris Wilson. After his previous band, Chisel, broke up in the late 1990s, Ted recorded the solo Tej Leo(?) Rx Pharmacists [sic] album in 1999, followed by the full-band Treble in Trouble EP in 2000. His next album, 2001's The Tyranny of Distance, quickly gained him a cult following and critical praise. Dave Lerner and Chris Wilson became permanent members of the band during the tour that year, as did keyboard player Dorien Garry. James Canty (ex-Nation of Ulysses, Make-Up, etc.) also played with the band during this time. The album Hearts of Oak followed in 2003, which also saw the release of the concert film Dirty Old Town and the Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead EP. Garry left the band before the recording of 2004's Shake the Sheets, which has led them into their current setup as a power trio. The new record featured fewer obscure references and more overt political content than his previous releases did, though his music has always been known for its engagement with politics. The band tours extensively around North America. Leo is a strict vegan. His brother Chris Leo is also a singer/songwriter and a member of The Lapse. Ted Leo graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1994 with a degree in English. 2. Pharmacist are a goregrind/death metal band formed in 2020. Based in Japan.

In their own words: Jason, Kip and Jay have played together as Dianogah (pronounced Dye-ah-NO-gah) since January 1995. Previous music experience found Jay in the Chicago skronk-pop band Hubcap; Jason, in the long-lived Grover from Champaign, IL; and Kip performed in various groups, most notably as the touring drummer for The For Carnation. Dianogah's core instrumentation is as a trio of two bass guitarists and one drummer. They have toured the US extensively, traveled throughout Europe and played in South America. In their seven years as a band, Dianogah has toured with Man or Astro Man?, Blonde Redhead, Shellac, Silkworm, June of 44 and Don Caballero, and shared the stage with Sebadoh, Hum, The For Carnation, Ui, Rachels, Shipping News and Seam. When not touring in their critically acclaimed van, Jason, Jay and Kip enjoy playing floor hockey and telling funny stories about their cats. They also really enjoy sushi, books by Neal Stephenson or David Sedaris, clean socks, 'Krispy Kreme' donuts and the country of Italy. Sometimes, two or more members of the band accidentally wear the same t-shirt or the same type of shoes. And Jay never leaves home without "Duffel", his trusty tour bag.

1) Naked Brunch is the former moniker of electronic music producer Excit3d (aka Chris Kiley). Naked Brunch self-released a series of digital singles on MySpace, Reverbnation, & Soundcloud before taking a hiatus from production to focus on other musical projects including his band Lion's Teeth. To hear what he is currently working on, check out www.soundcloud.com/excit3d. 2) The music of London 5-piece Naked Brunch bridges the space between baroque pop, post-punk and folk music. Composed of a harmonic backbone of violin, cello and bass, the group first established their sound over the double EP series I & II (2023) and singles The Fall and Moon Walk, which explored the limits of their sound. The result is something equal parts contemplative, brooding and abrasive.

The Drastics are a roots-oriented dub reggae group hailing from Chicago. Though primarily classified as a reggae group, The Drastics embrace many styles of music both live and in the studio. This can be heard in their songs which draw from roots reggae, hip hop, jazz, afro-beat, dancehall, as well as folk musics from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America.