The Carolina Chocolate Drops

Rhiannon Giddens

I had the great fortune of catching the same plane out of Atlanta as The Carolina Chocolate Drops last week. I had seen them perform once before, so I recognized  Dom Flemons and Rhiannon Giddens. I said: "Hey, I'm on my way to the middle of nowhere to see you play!" which was true.

We were all on our way to The Acoustic Cafe, an under-the-radar small fest in the hills outside Birmingham, Alabama, which draws some of the finest string players you will find anywhere.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops explore and expand old time black string band music. In 2010, the group won a traditional folk Grammy for their album  “Genuine Negro Jig,” and they've been touring ever since. Only one member of the group -- Rhiannon -- hails from North Carolina (Greensboro.) The rest live in New York and New Orleans.

Dom Flemons

On the plane, Dom and I talked about the genesis of the group and their 250-nights-a-year touring schedule. Rhiannon and Dom met at the Black Banjo Gathering in North Carolina in 2005, and joined musical forces.

Along the way, the Carolina Chocolate Drops have revived old forms of traditional music -- fiddle tunes, minstrel songs, antique country blues,  and waltzes. They are multi-instrumentalists who keep the show moving, jumping up to dance, do tricks, sing a capella, and generally blow everybody's minds.

Hubby Jenkins

Their performance at The Acoustic Cafe was edge-of-your-seat thrilling. They played everything -- bones, a jug, banjo, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, a replica of an old minstrel banjo. I think the The New York Times had it right when they called the Carolina Chocolate Drops concerts “an end-to-end display of excellence… They dip into styles of Southern black music from the 1920s and ’30s—string-band music, jug-band music, fife and drum, early jazz—and beam their curiosity outward. They make short work of their instructive mission and spend their energy on things that require it: flatfoot dancing, jug playing, shouting.”

Leyla McCalla

The Carolina Chocolate Drops have a new album, Leaving Eden. They are excited to be playing the venerable Winnipeg Folk Festival in Canada in July, and they are happy  that their brand-new music video -- the infectious "Country Girl," has made its way into rotation on Country Music TV. Sucess couldn't happen to nicer folks.

They played this song at The Acoustic Cafe and had everybody up dancing. Here it is for your listening pleasure:

Gone Festing

Check out the Acoustic Cafe coverage here 

Steve Kimock, FunkUs, and FOUR More Fests

This is quite a week for music...

Legendary California guitarist Steve Kimock and Orlando jamband FunkUs play the Plaza Theater in Orlando Thursday night, May 24. Tickets are $20 advanced, $22 the day of the show. You can get more info here This should be an absolutely killer show! Kimock has had a long career in psychedelic, jazz, and jambands, including many stints with Grateful Dead-related bands, including Ratdog and The Other Ones.

And as for this coming long holiday weekend...

Florida Folk Festival, White Springs, Florida, May 25-28. The legendary Arlo Guthrie headlines, also John Anderson, Billy Dean, and more. This is a state-run festival, and it $40 for a weekend pass, $20 for a day pass. You can only camp onsite if you are a volunteer, but there are camping places nearby.

LuluPalooza May 26-27, Gulf Shores, Alabama. This fest is run by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lulu, at her restaurant, LuLu's at Homeport, and it's free! Not a camping festival. Check out this great lineup --  Honey Island Swamp Band, Bonerama, Eric Lindell, The Lee Boys, Dread Clampitt, and more. 

Acoustic Cafe, outside Birmingham, Alabama May 25-26, This is a sweet little under-the-radar fest. It's a listening crowd, and the emphasis is on very fine and inventive string playing. I have seen astonishing performances at the Acoustic Cafe. Some of the greats have played here, includingVassar Clements, Mike Marshall, Edgar Meyer, and Sam Bush. This year's acts include the Carolina Chocolate Drops, flatpicking phenom Larry Keel, The Trishas, Duke Bardwell, and North Florida's excellent newgrass band, Dread Clampitt.

Amberland  May 25-27, Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, Georgia. (between Atlanta and Chatanooga.) This fest is hosted by livetronica band Perpetual Groove, and includes several other bands, including The Heavy Pets, Moon Taxi, and Consider the Source. $75 for the weekend, includes camping.

Funky Earphunk

Occasionally in her travels festgrrl runs across some players she'd like to recommend for your listening pleasure.

So here is the funkalicious Earphunk from New Orleans. If you go to their website you can get a free EP download.

Here they are in the studio, laying  down some new-school old-school booty shaking funk, just like we like it:

Hangout Festival Shows Will Be Webcast

If you aren't going to make it over to Gulf Shores, Alabama for the giant Hangout Fest that happens this weekend (general admission tickets are sold out, VIP still available), you can catch some of the shows vicariously through a free, live-stream  Myspace webcast.

The roster of national talent is long and rich, including art-rockers The Flaming Lips. They will be doin Dark Side of the Moon. Here's a taste of that tastiness:

New Orleans in Tallahassee

Funkalicious!

The Soul Rebels Brass Band plays the Bradfordville Blues Club tonight in Tallahassee. Show starts at 8. Cover is $12, $10 for students and Blues Society members

Here they are doing a little Eurythmics cover... awesome!

Three Fests This Weekend for Your Listening Pleasure

Gulf Shores from the air

This weekend is the giant Hangout Music Fest  in Gulf Shores, Alabama. This festival has stages on the beach, but no camping, and no swimming in the Gulf at the fest site. Tickets are currently sold out on the website. 

There's a huge national lineup -- Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, Jack White, Skrillex, String Cheese Incident, Wilco, The Flaming Lips , Umphrey's McGee, Dispatch, Steve Winwood, Kaskade, Chris Cornell, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Mac Miller, Flogging Molly, Coheed and Cambria, Paul Oakenfold, G. Love and Special Sauce, Delta Spirit, Randy Newman, Dr. Dog, Young the Giant, Cage the Elephant, Dawes, Alabama Shakes, Heartless Bastards, M. Ward, Yelawolf, Switchfoot, Julian Marley, Zeds Dead, Mavis Staples, Shpongle, Gary Clark Jr., Rebelution, Allen Stone, Big Freedia, Greyboy Allstars, The Devil Makes Three, Paper Diamond, Futurebirds, Hey Rosetta!, Sleeper Agent, The Lumineers, Archnemesis, Tribal Seeds, Rich Aucoin, and Jamie Bergeron.

OBJ!

Orange Blossom Jamboree also happens this weekend, Thursday through Sunday,  at the lovely Sertoma Youth Ranch near Brooksville, Fla. This is a wonderful gathering in a beautiful, shady location with nice amenities. Cope, Beebs and her Moneymakers, Crazy Fingers, and a whole mess of other great jam and roots performers. $60 advanced for a three-day pass which includes primitive camping, $75 at the gate. RV sites with electric and water are extra. Kids 12 and under are free. 

Swamptown Getdown happens Frday through Sundat in Waycross, Georgia. Col. Bruce Hampton, The Fritz, Saltwater Grass, Chroma, and more. Haven't been to this one, so I can't give you any clues on the fest site or anything else, sorry. $50 advanced, includes primitive camping.

Purple Hatter's Ball This Weekend

This weekend it's time for the Purple Hatter's Ball at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. 


This smallish, funky fest celebrates the life of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, a festgrrl  who was murdered due to irresponsible law enforcement officials who needlessly put her in harm's way. 


So festers will dance and love and hug under the oaks Friday to Sunday in her honor. Tickets are $60 advanced, $75 at the gate, and that includes primitive camping. RV sites are available for an extra charge. Lots of New Orleans folks coming over this one -- Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Russell Batiste, Break Science, and Honey Island Swamp Band. Catfish Alliance, Trial by Stone, The Heavy Pets, and more perform.

Rock On, Rachel

Also on tap this weekend is the: 

Great Southern Music Festival at  Bluegrass at Picker's Paradise Park near Thomasville, Georgia. The Wildwood Valley Boys, New 76ers, Michael Cleveland, and more. $25 for weekend pass, single day also available, RV camping extra.

The Fests of May

Hardly a week goes by this month without a festival -- I guess the theory is to get our festing in before the southern heat sets in, though we all know it's not always the case!

To help plan, I offer you a rundown of fests you might want to check out in May...

Great Southern Music Festival, May 10-12, Bluegrass at Picker's Paradise Park near Thomasville Georgia. The Wildwood Valley Boys, New 76ers, Michael Cleveland, and more. $25 for weekend pass, single day also available, RV camping extra.

Purple Hatter's Ball May 11-13, at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. Smallish, funky fest celebrating the life of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, who loved to fest and whose life was tragically cut short. $60 advanced, $75 at the gate, includes primitive camping. RV sites available for an extra charge. Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Russell Batiste, Break Science, Honey Island Swamp Band, Catfish Alliance, Trial by Stone, The Heavy Pets, and more.

Hangout Music Fest, May 18-20 Gulf Shores, Alabama. Biiiig festival on the beach. No camping, and no swimming in the Gulf at the fest site. Tickets are sold out on the website. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, Jack White, Skrillex, String Cheese Incident, Wilco, The Flaming Lips , Umphrey's McGee, Dispatch, Steve Winwood, Kaskade, Chris Cornell, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Mac Miller, Flogging Molly, Coheed and Cambria, Paul Oakenfold, G. Love and Special Sauce, Delta Spirit, Randy Newman, Dr. Dog, Young the Giant, Cage the Elephant, Dawes, Alabama Shakes, Heartless Bastards, M. Ward, Yelawolf, Switchfoot, Julian Marley, Zeds Dead, Mavis Staples, Shpongle, Gary Clark Jr., Rebelution, Allen Stone, Big Freedia, Greyboy Allstars, The Devil Makes Three, Paper Diamond, Futurebirds, Hey Rosetta!, Sleeper Agent, The Lumineers, Archnemesis, Tribal Seeds, Rich Aucoin, Jamie Bergeron

Orange Blossom Jamboree, May 17-20, at the lovely Sertoma Youth Ranch near Brooksville, Fla. Cope, Beebs and her Moneymakers, Crazy Fingers, and a whole mess of other great jam and roots performers. $60 advanced for a three-day pass which includes primitive camping, $75 at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free. This is a wonderful gathering in a beautiful, shady location with nice ammenities.

Swamptown Getdown, May 18-20, Waycross, Georgia. Col. Bruce Hampton, The Fritz, Saltwater Grass, Chroma, and more. Haven't been to this one. $50 advanced, includes primitive camping.

Acoustic Cafe, outside Birmingham, Alabama May 25-26, This is a sweet little under-the-radar fest. It's a listening crowd, and the emphasis is on very fine and inventive string playing. I have seen astonishing performances at the Acoustic Cafe. Some of the greats have played here, including Vassar Clements, Mike Marshall, and Sam Bush. This year's acts include the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Larry Keel, The Trishas, Duke Bardwell, and North Florida's excellent newgrass band, Dread Clampitt.

Florida Folk Festival, White Springs, Florida, May 25-28. The legendary Arlo Guthrie headlines, also John Anderson, Billy Dean, and more. This is a state-run festival. You can only camp onsite if you are a volunteer, but there are camping places nearby.

LuluPalooza May 26-27, Gulf Shores, Alabama. This fest is run by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lulu, at her restaurant, LuLu's at Homeport, and it's free! Not a camping festival. Check out this great lineup --  Honey Island Swamp Band, Bonerama, Eric Lindell, The Lee Boys, Dread Clampitt, and more.

Amberland  May 25-27, Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, Georgia. (between Atlanta and Chatanooga.) This fest is hosted by livetronica band Perpetual Groove, and includes several other bands, including The Heavy Pets, Moon Taxi, and Consider the Source. $75 for the weekend, includes camping.

Wakarusa May 31-June 3, Ozark, Arkansas. Laaarge fest with a big-time  lineup, Bob Weir, The Avett Brothers, Soullive, Primus, Umphrey's Mcgee, Railroad Earth, Del McCoury, and more. Various ticket levels with various add ons, details are here

And don't forget that Bonnaroo happens in Tennessee June 7-10, more on that most giant of fests later.

Free New Orleans Jazzfest Webcast!!

Can't make it over to New Orleans Jazzfest? You can tune into a webcast on You Tube featuring a whole mess of performers from the funky Meters to Jimmy Buffett and everybody in between. It's free! Thanks to our friends at Jambase for providing the schedule. 

Here's a little look at the awesomeness in store:

Gamble Rogers Folk Fest This Weekend

The great Gamble Rogers

The Gamble Rogers Folk Festival happens this weekend in lovely St. Augustine, Fla.

This fest pays tribute to the late Florida troubador Gamble Rogers. This is not a camping fest, although there are plenty of places to camp in the area, including  Anastasia Island State Park.

The music takes place on Friday at the downtown St. Augustine marina and Saturday at the open-air, covered St.  Augustine Ampitheater, which is adjacent to Anastasia Island State Park (There's a nice campground in the state park.)

The Waymores, Grant Peeples, Jubal's Kin, Sam Pacetti, Gatorbone, and more perform.

Tickets are $40 for the weekend, $10 for Friday only and $35 for Saturday only. 

Here is an absolutely beautiful performance by The Waymores to get you psyched for the fest: