Video Wednesday

This week we present a video from Carolina Chocolate Drops.

SONG OF THE DAY

Sometimes you get lucky and discover an artist that just overwhelms you. At a Jazz Fest a few years ago I was in the audience for a show by a group called the Carolina Chocolate Drops. I had read a little about them in New Depression but really didn't know what to expect. I was blown away. I couldn't believe how good this group was. So today's song is from their album Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind. The song is "Sourwood Mountain."

Jazz Fest Highlights: Carolina Chocolate Drops

My plan for this Jazz Fest was to see the lesser known acts, to sidestep the main stages as much as possible and catch the acts that don't get the headlines. I wanted to check out a lot of names that I was not familiar with. One such act was the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Weirdly I had just received my subscription copy to No Depression a few days before Jazz Fest and within the pages of this final issue of one of the best music magazines ever published was an article about the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

I knew something special was coming when Quint Davis showed up to introduce the band. Mr. Davis is one of the founders and leaders of Jazz Fest. He introduces acts like Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. Not acts in the Blues Tent.

Carolina Chocolate Drops are a threesome of young African-Americans, two men and one woman that play traditional roots music. They use banjo, guitar, fiddle, even a jug bottle to blow into. This was the surprise find of the Fest for me. I was blown away by this group. They created quite an impression on the audience too. I cannot stress how good this group is.

Scenes From Jazz Fest:: Carolina Chocolate Drops