Lowdown Brass Band deliver a fine and fiery fusion of hip-hop and frontline brass band music—built on trumpets, trombones, sax, drums, and sousaphone acting as bass, with a vocalist and MC, too. According to their bio, the 10-piece ensemble “deftly synthesizes the gritty sounds of Chicago with the high energy street beat of the Crescent City.” They also draw on elements of ska, Latin music, funk, and soul; have recorded with Roy Ayers (a revival of “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” on their 2014 LP); and are currently on the road behind 2018’s LowDown Breaks, which combines hip-hop breaks with live soul samples and deep cut instrumental grooves, and includes originals as well as covers by Leilani Polk