Don’t miss the Carolina Chocolate Drops at the High Noon Saloon next week, January 24th. The Chocolate Drops are an African-American stringband with fiddle, banjo and singing tunes that are guaranteed to impress. They are from North Carolina and play old time tunes rooted in the Piedmont Tradition of stringband music where the banjo, rather than the fiddle, serves as the lead instrument.The talent and high energy of this trio is certain to make you want to get up and dance. Or at least sway in your chair to Rhiannon Giddens’ soulful singing, like when she sings Black Eyed Blues, the story of a wife threatening her cheatening husband that sooner or later she’s gonna catch him “with your britches down.” (Listen to them here).

This year the Chocolate Drops released a new album, Dona Got a Ramblin’ Mind. It is packed full of great singing and instrumentation and includes some great old favorites such as Starry Crown, Georgie Buck and Short Life of Trouble.

This show should not be missed. And if you are as into old time music as much as some of us are, head on down to The Old Town School of Folk in Chicago the next day to check out Trad Fest, where the Chocolate Drops will be joined by Foghorn Stringband and Garry Harrison and the New Mules for an entire weekend of incredible old-time music.