As I leafed through the the Spoleto brochure some months back, I knew I had to see The Carolina Chocolate Drops when they came to town.
Last night, I saw them at the Cistern and they did not disappoint.
The talented trio–Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson, and Dom Flemons–bill themselves as an “African-American String Band,” and although they are often most closely associated with bluegrass, their songs ran the gamut from traditional Piedmont Stringband, to jazz and blues, and even a little hip-hop that doesn’t fall into neat, tidy categories. From Corn Bread and Butterbeans to Salty Dog to Hit Him Up Style, it’s all American music that’s to be enjoyed in a community setting.
My favorites were a gorgeous a capella song Giddens sang in Gaelic as well as the dancing. They kept things informal and engaging, and I enjoyed the stories behind the music nearly as much as the songs themselves.
All in all, it was a toe-tapping, knee-slapping, hand-clapping, get-up-and-dancing delight of a performance on on a pleasant evening.
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The Carolina Chocolate Drops show was my personal favorite this year.
The love and respect they have for the music and the musicians of days gone by shines through in every word, every note.