The California Honeydrops at Tipitina’s, October 2019

Discussed in this post: Dancing with at least one person, Polish American gumbo, roots music.

As I get older I am into getting more sleep.  I know there are articles and books that would no doubt convince me of the value of more sleep, but I haven’t read them.  I usually go to bed too early to get that much reading done.  Some nights, however, I feel as if I still have some energy, and it’s time to set the book aside and have a Solo Dance Party!  I administer a small to moderate dose of cannabis, usually via a small hand-held pipe using dry herb.  A bit of disquiet arises: will this harm my lungs and my health?  Does drug use like this contribute to or break down my sense of well- being and emotional health?  And of course, our cultural scold: “am I too old for this?”  Once the music starts, all that disappears.  My senses are more attuned to entering the musical space, and dancing feels like the only thing one can do!  I devote my full attention to this art, feeling joy and deep appreciation for  what the artists have created. To me it’s analogous to spending an hour or longer in an art gallery.  The more open to it you are the more beauty you see (hear) and feel.     

We all like music, it’s human. Our tastes (what we resonate with) differs.  Some like rock, others bluegrass, others soul, and on and on.  Many say they like music in general. Me, it’s hard to pin it down, but I know that I like what I call “body music”.  That’s the kind I choose for a late night dance party.  It’s music with hooks, rhythm, syncopation, surprises, music that waxes, wanes, and simply gets in your body and soul and You Have To Move. 

A couple nights ago, I decided to listen to an hour or so of The California Honeydrops (the Drops). A friend and I had the opportunity recently to hear them live in New Orleans at Tipitina’s.  I enjoyed the show so much that I decided to not only write about them, but to buy a t-shirt from the merch table!  Ask my wife how often I do that.   

The Drops play music that’s a blend of blues, jazz, funk, R&B, New Orleans second-line, and a lot more. A writer for “Love is Pop” says that  “there are elements of everything but the kitchen sink in their lush wall of sound and A River’s Invitation [the latest record] is a ripe and fruity album that’s equal parts cohesive and eclectic. In other words, it’s colorful, soulful and super cool.” “Their music seems to come from understanding a formula designed to make people lose their minds with fun.” I agree.  One really cool thing about them is their range.  With each song, it's "time for something completely different!"

California Honeydrops, with special guest Aurora Nealand on sax. 

 The Drops formed in November of 2007; in the beginning it was band leader and vocalist/trumpeter/guitarist Lech (pronounced Lesh) Wierzinsky and his girlfriend at the time busking in the subway stations in Oakland, California. Lech came to the US from Warsaw, Poland at age 3 years, and lived in the Washington DC area and Chicago before landing in Oakland, CA. Percussionist Ben Malament was a founding member. The two brought a strong interest in early music to the band, a signature feature of their sound. Three band members attended Oberlin college in Ohio at some point, and Lech has an ethnomusicology degree from the school in Early African-American Music. The name "California Honeydrops" was inspired by an old band from the 1920’s, the Tennessee Chocolate Drops.  

Wierzinski reflects on another New Orleans experience:

“The one that really stood out was when we opened for Dr. John in New Orleans. It was in the early days of the band. We were young and nervous about the whole situation. We had a dressing room set up outside of the club — in the back by the dumpster. Dr. John came down because he wasn't allowed to smoke in his dressing room inside. He asked if it was OK if he sat down in our space and had a cigarette. We ended up hanging out with him. He was a really nice guy, very mellow. I thanked him for his music and told him we looked up to him. Dr. John responded, "You shouldn't look up to anybody and you shouldn't look down on anybody either." That broke the ice. We all loosened up and talked for an hour. It wasn't like hanging out with a big star — it was super casual. That was an eye-opening moment.”

Regulars in the band in addition to Wierzinsky and Malament are Johnny Bones on tenor sax and clarinet, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards and Beau Bradbury on bass. At any given performance now you might find additional personnel. At Tipitina's here, we saw local band leader Aurora Nealand sit in on sax for a couple songs. 

If you get a chance to see them live, you are in for a sweet treat!  They know how to connect with their audience, and in fact that's how they approach the show, according to Wierzinsky.  Trying to stay in the moment and spontaneous, they do not prepare set lists and will ask for requests.  Dancing and wandering on the stage is part of their style, and Lech was out in the crowd connecting more directly for part of the show. 

So far, I’ve dance-partied thru 4 of the six Drops albums and look forward to playing the rest.  And I can’t wait to be a part of the next live dance party (aka Drops concert) with me, the Drops, and a no doubt huge crowd experiencing together the pure joy of music.

Articles and interviews:

Chicago Tribune

Billboard

NZ Entertainment Podcast

Unorthodox venues (video): 

The Pinecone Series

Ashland, Oregon