Sweet show at The Ark from Carolina Chocolate Drops
Three standing ovations followed their high-energy set, and they deserved every note of the acclaim.
The three members of the group — Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson — not only excel on traditional instruments such as banjo, fiddle, guitar and harmonica, they make a huge musical impression with more uncommon instruments. Flemons in particular delights with his virtuosity, not only on the banjo, but on the bones and jug as well.
They learned their art, based on the traditional music of the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina, from eminent African American old-time fiddler Joe Thompson, and paid homage to the master several times throughout the night.
And while much has been made of their knock-your-socks-off version of the modern R&B tune “Hit ’em Up Style (Oops!),” this fusing of old and new — with Robinson’s superb human beat-box percussion — is the exception rather than the rule. The song brought the crowd to its feet at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival this past January, worked similar magic Friday, and was clearly one of the night’s highlights. Blu Cantrell, who had a hit with it, had better be looking over her shoulder.
Other selections, like “Corn Bread & Butter Beans” (on which Flemons played the bones and the jug) “Georgia Buck” and “Genuine Negro Jig” were also familiar from the Folk Fest program, but no less thrilling this time around. The classic was given a thorough workout, with Flemons’ work on the resonator guitar impressive.
Carolina Chocolate Drops perform "John Henry" last year at Sun City Music Hall:
It was Flemons who also offered one of my favorite moments while struggling with an out-of-tune banjo string during “We’re In the Jailhouse Now.” First, he tried to retune the guitar by smoothly working his effort right into the song. When that failed, he stopped, retuned, and started again, blowing me away with the fancy fretwork that followed. I loved his grace under pressure, and so did the audience.
Robinson was also impressive, playing every single instrument and digging down deep for his soulful vocals on the mostly a cappella gospel tune “Sit Down Servant.”
During the show, I realized I have never heard Carolina Chocolate Drops on CD. In fact, doing so seems hard to imagine — this is one of those bands that really needs to be seen live. Natural-born showman Flemons’ grins and grimaces alone add heaps of personality, while the irrepressible Giddens dancing the Charleston, as she did to “Salty Dog” (after a hot double-kazoo solo), adds immeasurably to the CCD experience. Maybe they will release a live DVD in the future.
Rhiannon Giddens dances the Charleston during "Salty Dog" at Merlefest 2008:
Before the show ended, Flemons remarked on how exciting it was to meet music legend Pete Seeger at the Folk Festival. “We were running around like little schoolgirls,” he recalled. And when Seeger praised his bones playing, “that was memory I will treasure all my life, and I thank Ann Arbor for making it happen.”
The pre-encore part of the show closed with the traditional tune “Sourwood Mountain,” a real barn-burner, complete with Giddens’ clogging and the audience singing the chorus and clapping to the beat. The only folks luckier than those of us who were there Friday night are those who have tickets to Saturday’s show, which is also sold out.
In fact, all of the band’s shows are sold out into early November. It seems like word is getting around — the Carolina Chocolate Drops are one sweet gig.
Roger LeLievre is a free-lance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com.