Genuine Negro Jig View large Image Artist Carolina Chocolate Drops Format Audio CD Average Rating Our Price £7.84

B000H5U6M0|B000FTK9AC|B000VR4NA0|B002X9GX8Y|B00309Q2NM Similar Products



Customer Reviews

Reviewer
Peter Marshall
The Applachians have always been associated with blue grass and the white music of the lost provinces of North Carolina and the Blue Ridge mountains. Slave labour was as useful in the mountains as the Mississippi Delta and by the mid 19th century there was a considerable black musical presence in North Carolina and Virginia which drew on the Scots and Irish music traditions as their African roots. The Carolina Chocolate Drops are superbly gifted musicians who bring alive this tradition along with rag-time blue grass and traditional British folk tunes. 'Snowden's Jig' (the genuine negro jig of the title) dates from Appalachia 1850 and sits comfortably with the up tempo novelty song 'Cornbread and Butterbeans', the 1920s torch song 'Why Don't You Do Right' and Papa Charlie Jackson's rag 'Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine.' This is not prissy perfect musical homage to a dead tradition but a vibrant reinterpretation of fabulous roots music. Just listen to 'Peace Behind the Bridge' or 'Hit 'em Up Style' if you need convincing.
Twiddles
I bought this after it was recommended to me - I was absolutely blown away. the mix of tranditional and new arrangements is simply exquisite
W. Hobden
I brought this for my husband's birthday. He had heard it on radio 4 of all places! We had never heard of them before but now are both completely hooked. Lovely. Give it a try.
fran
fantastic ,great musicians,Rhiannon has a terrific voice,heard them in Glasgow,at Celtic Connections,then bought the c.d.
G. E. Harrison
In my review of their debut CD 'Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind' I wondered if the Chocolate Drops would be able to "develop the music rather than just preserving it" and in this record I think they have definitely tried to take the music forward but to keep the old-time string band feel. I'm not sure they have completely succeeded in that this disc doesn't have the same overall unity that 'Ramblin' Mind' had - that's not necessarily a bad thing and there is certainly much more variety here. I think some of that is probably down to producer Joe Henry. As well as the traditional tunes we also get Tom Waits' "Trampled Rose" and Blu Cantrell's R&B track "Hit 'Em Up Style" and there is also Joe McCoy's blues "Why Don't You Do Right?" - which to me sounded too sophisticated and didn't really fit in with the other material. I did really like "Cornbread And Butterbeans" and think they should include more vocal harmonies. Rhiannon Giddens acapella version of the folk song "Reynadine" is beautiful, as is the haunting title track - a real sound of Appalachia. I think this is good record that has moved them on but kept them true to their values and I'm glad to see that Joe Henry's production is restrained and not too obtrusive.