Nonesuch releases its second record from the Carolina Chocolate Drops—a four-song EP—today. This new EP is a collaboration with the New York City–based Romanian gypsy punk band Luminescent Orchestrii, along with human beatboxer Adam Matta; it was co-produced by the Lumiis' sound engineer, Joseph “Bass” DeJarnette, with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Luminescent Orchestrii. The self-titled EP is available now on vinyl and CD in the Nonesuch Store.
The new EP "is probably one of the best releases in any genre you’re likely to hear," raves No Depression reviewer Dustin Ogdin. "More than anything, this collaboration is a tribute to the power of music to bring people together. This is social music, made for backyard barbecues in the country, rooftop romps in the city, and block parties the world over." Read the complete review at nodepression.com.
The Chocolate Drops’ begin their 2011 tour next week with a February 2 engagement on Lincoln Center’s prestigious American Songbook series and 20 additional shows around the Northeast, South, and Midwest into April. Adam Matta and multi-instrumentalist Hubby Jenkins join the band on the road. See below for the currently scheduled tour dates, including select early-announced festivals and shows into the summer and fall, and visit nonesuch.com/on-tour for further details.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops / Luminescent Orchestrii project began when both bands, longtime admirers of each other’s music, were performing at the Folk Alliance festival in Memphis, Tennessee. Every day in Memphis, the Lumiis would set up in the hall and do a short set for the passersby. One day the Lumiis’ Sxip Shirey noticed that the Drops’ Rhiannon Giddens was watching and asked her to join them. What followed was “magic … one of those rare festival moments that never happens again,” as Shirey said.
The Chocolate Drops were soon invited to Brooklyn to join the Luminescent Orchestrii and their friend Adam Matta to record “Knockin’,” from the Lumiis’ record Too Hot to Sleep, and Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ’Em Up Style,” which was on the Drops’ Grammy-nominated Nonesuch debut album, Genuine Negro Jig. Next the Lumiis and Matta went down to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to record a new version of the Sam Morgan jazz classic, “Short Dress Gal,” and the Lumii song “Escoutas (Diga Diga Diga).” These four songs comprise Carolina Chocolate Drops / Luminescent Orchestrii.
CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS ON TOUR
| Feb 2 |
The Allen Room, Lincoln Center |
New York, NY
|
| Feb 3 |
Infinity Hall |
Norfolk, CT
|
| Feb 4 |
Paramount Center for the Arts |
Peekskill, NY |
| Feb 5 |
Barre Opera House |
Barre, VT |
| Feb 19 |
Library Theatre |
Hoover, AL
|
| Feb 20 |
Library Theatre |
Hoover, AL
|
| Feb 22 |
Melting Point |
Athens, GA |
| Feb 25 |
Jefferston Theater |
Charlottesville, VA |
| Mar 3 |
Theater of the Living Arts |
Philadelphia, PA
|
| Mar 4 |
Appalachian Brewing Compnay |
Harrisburg, PA |
| Mar 5 |
Kelly Strayhorn Theatre |
Pittsburgh, PA |
| Mar 10 |
Kentucky Theatre |
Lexington, KY |
| Mar 12 |
Triad Stage |
Greensboro, NC |
| Mar 13 |
Paramount Center for the Arts |
Bristol, TN
|
| Mar 16 |
The Flying Monkey Performance Center |
Plymouth, NH
|
| Mar 17 |
Janikies Theater, Bryant University |
Smithfield, RI
|
| Mar 18 |
Strand Theatre |
Rockland, ME
|
| Mar 19 |
Stone Mountain Arts Center |
Brownfield, ME
|
| Mar 20 |
Stone Mountain Arts Center |
Brownfield, ME
|
| Apr 7 |
Englert Theatre, Univ. of Iowa |
Iowa City, IA
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| Apr 8 |
Barrymore Theater |
Madison, WI
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| Apr 13 |
Radford University |
Radford, VA
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| Apr 14 |
Porter Center for the Performing Arts |
Brevard, NC
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| Jun 25 |
ROMP; Yellow Creek Park |
Owensboro, KY
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| Jul 29 |
FloydFest; Blue Ridge Parkway |
Floyd, VA
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| Aug 27 |
North Carolina Museum of Art |
Raleigh, NC
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| Sep 19 |
Modlin Center, Univ. of Richmond |
Richmond, VA
|
| Oct 22 |
Cedarburg Cultural Center |
Cedarburg, WI
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