THE SWEET LOWDOWN – MAY

Sweet LowdownThe Sweet Lowdown can take you anywhere you want to go, from a sunny front porch to the outer reaches of the universe. Blending original songwriting and three-part harmonies with an old-time instrumental groove, this award-winning acoustic roots trio from Victoria, Canada creates a unique yet timeless sound that takes listeners on a pleasurable and memorable journey.

Drawn together by a mutual passion for old-time music, hard-driving bluegrass, sweet harmonies and well-wrought songs, The Sweet Lowdown – Amanda Blied (guitar), Shanti Bremer (banjo) and Miriam Sonstenes (fiddle) – pays homage to its musical roots while simultaneously breaking new ground. Each member contributes to the band’s original repertoire and each has a unique vocal flair as well as impressive instrumental chops.

These are well evident on The Sweet Lowdown’s latest award-winning album May, produced by Adrian Dolan (The Bills, Ruth Moody). The album features 10 original compositions and two traditional songs that demonstrate a wide range of influences, including Irish and Indian music. It follows on the heels of the band’s highly praised self-titled 2011 album, which received a nomination for “Album of the Year” by the Vancouver Island Music Awards.

Winners of the 2013 “Island Roots Album of the Year” (Vancouver Island Music Awards) for May, the band also received a Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination in 2013 for Vocal Group of the Year.

The past three years has seen the band traveling around Canada to share their music and teach their craft, from as far afield as Haida Gwaii (Edge of the World Music Festival), to Nova Scotia (Cape Breton Island, Lunenburg Folk Harbor Festival), and northern Saskatchewan (Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Camp and Festival). Their first US tour in October 2012 took them to LA, Iowa City and Chicago and in 2014 they’re looking forward to their first tour of the UK.

“This lot might be about the best named band I’ve ever come across: traditional acoustic music on guitar, fiddle and banjo is wedded to beautiful harmonies that gives us an album with sweetness and depth by the bucketload – sweet and lowdown indeed.” FlyinShoes Review

“Amanda Blied’s guitar, Shanti Bremer’s banjo and Miriam Sonstenes’ fiddle combine in a really good string band mix that can give the likes of that old warhorse Reuben’s Train a good motoring. Their songwriting’s a neat mixture of traditional, old-time and folk revival influences too. But it’s those voices which really hook you in and this, their second album, is a bit of a gem because of it.” fRoots

“(May) is a must have for any lover of old-time country with a fresh modern-day approach.” Maverick

“After five years, the three young women from Victoria who make up the Sweet Lowdown just keep getting better. In fact, good enough to create a gem in their sophomore disc. Their mélange of folk, old-time and bluegrass music is so easy to listen to. Soaring harmonies, a good mixture of self-written songs and instrumentals, as well as a couple of traditional tunes all make for a mighty fine package…” Penguin Eggs

“With a fresh sound and originality, they’re walking a musical road with a clear vision for their songs.” Roots Music Report

The Band

Shanti Bremer grew up in Olympia, Washington, where she began learning bluegrass banjo at the age of 11. After moving to Victoria, BC, Bremer continued to refine her bluegrass sound and also discovered – and became smitten with – clawhammer banjo.  Today, she has a busy teaching schedule in both styles and continues to diversify as a banjo player.

Coming to Canada from Germany at the age of nine, Miriam Sonstenes is a classically trained violinist-turned-fiddler. She has played with Victoria groups The Moonshiners, The Yiddish Columbia State Orchestra and Shearwater Bluegrass Band. She is also a sought after violin and fiddle teacher, and has taught at fiddle and bluegrass camps throughout BC and the Northwest Territories.

Amanda Blied, the only Victoria-native, fell in love with old time music in 2000 upon hearing the recordings of Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley. She has since traveled throughout North America tracing the roots of music she loves and she brings an old time feel to her guitar playing.  She sang for years with Victoria’s award-winning Eastern European a capella vocal ensemble, the Balkan Babes.

Artists’ website: www.thesweetlowdown.ca

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