Carolina Chocolate Drops Redefine Folk

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     Last month, the Carolina Chocolate Drops won a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album, for their 2010 release Genuine Negro Jig. So when they appeared at the Theater of Living Arts, we went to check them out!
     The Drops are Don Flemons, who plays banjo, guitar, jug, and snare, and Rhiannon Giddens on banjo and fiddle. Recently joined are beat boxer Adam Matta and Hubby Jenkins. The original members met at the Black Bango Gathering of 2005 in North Carolina. Their songbook consist mostly of covers from 19th century America, with some re-workings of modern hits.
     The crowd at the TLA was pretty dense, especially for a traditional folk band, and their enthusiasm was evident early. At the start of the first song, the majority of the crowd began stomping the floor to the beat of the song. This continued though out the majority of the night, with added hand claps when appropriate. Perhaps the most unexpected moment came about halfway through. In an a capella performance, Rhiannon sang an up-tempo traditional Irish jig, while Adam performed some pretty impressive beat box vocals. The result was a dance song that could cause any Daft Punk fan get down. Equally awesome, but very much expected, was the cover of Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style."
     When most people think of traditional folk bands, they think of older men in white beards. The Drops, however, are African-Americans in their late 20's or early 30's. While it's probably true that one would have to have a basic appreciation for old time music, CCD bring a very modern take on these songs. Modern folk has crept into popular music recently, certainly in the area of indie music, and the Drops have taken this aesthetic much further. Anyone who enjoys musicians who know how to play their instruments will want to check out the Carolina Chocolate Drops.