(Published in Oakland North: http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/12/08/bandwidth-the-california-honeydrops-bring-some-new-orleans-soul-to-oakland/)
The California Honeydrops, an Oakland-based band, got their start playing at local East Bay haunts like the Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley and BART stations four years ago. They have now gone on to perform across the country and in Europe and recorded several albums. “We’ve played to crowds with screaming girls and places with old people falling asleep – it doesn’t matter, we’ll play,” said vocalist, trumpeter, and guitarist Lech Wierzynski.
The band has an upbeat and unique sound – soulful gospel, New Orleans-style second line jazz, blues, swing and R&B. The members of the band include drummer (and washboard strummer) Ben Malamant, Doug Stuart on bass, and pianist Charlie Hickox.“We always get people up and dancing by the end of the show,” Wierzynski said. There’s no doubt I don’t let them not get up. We say hey, ‘It’s OK people, do whatever you want to do. It’s a free country.’”