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LowDown Brass Band bringing funky brew to Cedar Rapids outdoor stage
Chicago group performing free CSPS concert on NewBo City Market lawn
Ed Condran
Sep. 1, 2021 6:00 am
The LowDown Brass Band is in a league of its own.
The Chicago based act delivers a funky amalgam of soul, jazz, reggae and hip-hop. Imagine a collision of a pair of criminally under-heralded recording artists; the exceptional horn collective the Dirty Dozen Brass Band; and the brilliant funk-punk act Fishbone.
Chicago's LowDown Brass Band will bring its eclectic sounds to the NewBo City Market lawn for a free CSPS concert Sept. 10, 2021. (Courtesy of LowDown Brass Band)
The LowDown Brass Band primarily crafts tunes that are provocative and celebratory. Infectious New Orleans shuffles combine with MC Billa Camp's poetic storytelling. Fans are compelled to stomp their feet and clap their hands during LowDown Brass Band concerts. They’ll get the chance to do just that Sept. 10, when the group hits the outdoor stage for a free CSPS concert at NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids.
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“We play the kind of music that we love,” Camp said by phone from his Chicago home. “We don't compromise. We just write and record what we love.”
LowDown Brass Band has had several incarnation, but the current group has been around for five years.
LowDown Brass Band
What: CSPS outdoor concert
Where: Outdoor stage at NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids
When: 6 p.m. Sept. 10, 2021
Admission: Free; first-come basis within social distancing squares; bring chair, small umbrella for shade; no outside food, drinks, coolers, no smoking
Details: cspshall.org/lowdown-brass-band-1
“We're tight,” Camp said. “Everything has been going well, except it's been difficult for the last year and a half, due to the pandemic. We've played some shows over the last two months and we're trying to get with the new normal. We've done what we can during this strange time.”
The band released a collection of what it dubs as “mini-reels.” The group has released a single and a video every two weeks from mid-February to mid-July.
“We did that for 20 weeks,” Camp said. “We had so many pent-up thoughts over the pandemic. We were compelled to get the music out of our system.”
“The Reel Sessions,” dropped in July.
“We're waiting for the vinyl,” Camp said. “I can't wait to get that into my hands. I love vinyl. And we're looking forward to playing those songs live,” Camp said. “We're excited about these songs. We're voicing our opinions on current issues and we're looking back at the last two years, commenting on social issues, economic issues and the Presidential election. So much has happened during the pandemic and it's in our songs.”
They have enough material for another album, which they plan to release in 2022. The working title is “LowDown and Chill.”
“We're excited, since we have so much music flowing out of us,” Camp said. “We've been moved to create. It comes out of all of us. Our group is a brotherhood. We've overcome so much and we're still standing. We trust and believe in each other. It's unshakable. We've been inspired and so we have plenty of songs.”
However, it's not just music that’s made by the LowDown Brass Band. The musicians have made some aesthetically pleasing videos over the past year in their visually appealing city. But that's not surprising since the LowDown Brass Band has made a number of wonderful short films in the Windy City, including “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” which features legendary vibraphone player/producer Roy Ayers.
“Chicago is a beautiful city and we're proud to call it home,” Camp said. “The people here are authentic and that authenticity impacts our music. We've always enjoyed shooting in this city. There's a lot of variety here. You have the downtown, the lake, the parks and the people.
“It's a unique place, which is so inspiring for a band. It's great to write a song and then come up with a video concept that can be shot right here. We love creating here but can't wait to get out and see the country and play before fans in places like Iowa.”