Carolina Chocolate Drops
Genuine Negro Jig
Nonesuch; 2010

What’s old is new again is a cliché, sure, but for the Carolina Chocolate Drops, it’s also the musical philosophy on which they hang their finger picks. Unbeknownst to one another, Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson had each picked up various “old time” instruments such as the fiddle, kazoo, jug, banjo, and harmonica while in their 20s. Their individual variety and interest in the sounds of yesterday led them to the Black Banjo Gathering in North Carolina back in 2005. It was during these annual Gatherings that the three would meet, swap stories about being outcasts, and ultimately gel as a unit for years to come. Now with their fifth album released, they’ve moved well beyond jamming on a front porch in the Carolinas, but they’re still committed to the value of stirring up the mix. Since their inception, music has been a way for CCD members to hold a public conversation about slavery, African sounds, stigmatized instruments, and the best way to pay homage to their predecessors. Ever heard masterful beatboxing alongside a banjo? How about Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘em Up Style” covered with a mesquite Piedmont flavor? Genuine Negro Jig is mountain music meets relevant modernity, and no matter which state you’re from — or what state you’re in — the Drops will get your legs ‘jigging. — V. Bormann

This article originally ran in www.thebeachsideresident.com