Janis Lockwood
Thursday February 1st, 2018 with Gord Peeling
Kicking off Black History Month with a look at the Carolina Chocolate Drops and their position in the bluegrass, stringband, folk and blues tradition.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops had a relatively brief history extending from 2006 to 2012 but had a much larger impact than that short career would suggest. Ottawa was lucky to have the opportunity to see the CCD several times at the Ottawa Folk Festival. Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla and Justin Robinson have all gone on to successful solo careers and we will dip into several of their offerings. 60 minutes cannot do justice to these performers but perhaps there will be sufficient teasers here to encourage you to explore their roots in the music, their influences and their larger catalogue.
| Another Man Done Gone Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind - Music Maker '06 |
| Viper Mad Sankofa Strings - Presents Colored Aristocracy - Music Maker '08 |
| Little Sadie Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind - Music Maker '06 |
| Colored Aristocracy Sankofa Strings - Presents Colored Aristrocracy - Music Maker '08 |
| The Carolina Chocolate Drops came to the attention of a broader audience in 2010 when their release Genuine Negro Jig won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. And now a couple tracks from that album and the follow-up release in 2012 Leaving Eden. |
| Cornbread and Butter Beans Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig - Nonesuch '10 |
| Boudie-De-Bum-Bum Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden - Nonesuch '12 |
| Snowdens Jig (Genuine Negro Jig) Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig - Nonesuch '10 |
| No Man's Mama Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden - Nonesuch '12 |
| I Can't Do It Anymore Dom Flemons - Prospect Hill - Music Maker '14 |
| Too Blue Layla McCalla - Vari-Colored Songs - Music Maker '13 |
| Waterboy Rhiannon Giddens - Another Day, Another Time (various) - Nonesuch '15 |
| Bulldoze Blues Mr. Martin Simpson & Mr. Dom Flemons - Present a Grand Musical Entertainment - Fledg'ling '16 |
| At the Purchaser's Option Rhiannon Giddens - Freedom Highway - Nonesuch '17 |
| Big Head Joe's March Dom Flemons - What Got Over - Music Maker '15 |
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We got to see Carolina Chocolate Drops live at Ottawa Folk Fest multiple times, several years ago now. (Back when it was good. ;^) TERRIFIC live, and very informative historically. Plus, some amazing colabs on the mash-up stages too. Thanks for this.
4:16 PM, February 1st, 2018