The band has come a long way since Wierzynski and Malament started busking in an Oakland, California, subway station, but theyve stayed true to that organic, street-level feel. I really appreciate that. MM: I was going to ask about that because I did read that, but to me it sounds like one of the best produced albums of the year. And then I moved to Chicago. But we have been [headlining] on our nights off from her. June 18///Live Oak Music Festival///Santa Barbara, CA But its also rewarding. Those are the primary influences it's good music to dance to and have a good time to. MM: At what point did you start calling yourselves The California Honeydrops? As Wierzynski mentioned in a statement shared with the video. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. MM: You play guitar and trumpet. Recorded ourselves to have something to peddle on the street. My brother and I had to assimilate to modern American society, Wierzynski explains, so we loved all the popular stuff on the radio too, especially Hip-Hop, R&B. Click herefor a full list of participating artists. }. March 15///Sony Centre for the Performing Arts///Toronto, ON* And youve just gotta roll with whatever that is. The family name derives from Leszczyna, now a suburb of Leszno, Greater Poland. We named ourselves after the old band, The Tennessee Chocolate Drops. Born in Warsaw, Poland, band leader and front man Lech Wierzynski started playing blues and jazz as a teenager at after-hours jam sessions in Washington D.C. After studying trumpet with Marcus Belgrave, Wierzynski launched his own career in Oakland. Read Full Biography. Jazz musician Lech Wierzynski's bio, concert & touring information, albums, reviews, videos, photos and more. They said, Hey, were gonna open our doors on this day that were always usually closed and all youve gotta do is bring as many people threw that door as possible and well give you all the profits. And we did it. More like parties than traditional concerts, their shows feature extensive off-stage jamming and crowd interaction. So, we couldnt do more than like a few days at a time or Id start going crazy. Lech Wierzynski. Having accompanied artists such as Maria Muldaur, Dan Hicks, and Jackie Payne, Wierzynski has grown equally adept as a trumpeter, singer, and guitarist. Keeping 'em separate so they don't get mad at each other. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. With some exceptions, the property owner is responsible for care and maintenance of the tree. And it just kind of featured our different musical interests and styles. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. A modern blues band that tempers its retro inclinations with a contemporary flair, the California Honeydrops carved out a following on the international blues circuit in the 2010s. I played with a couple of guys form Johnny Otis's old group, Shuggie Otis's dad, and there was a band I played in for a bunch of years with a lot of older cats. Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. And then I hash them out. There's a lot of great cities with a lot of great people. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. March 23///Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts///Pittsburgh, PA* They opened for her again in Hawaii and Australia in the Spring of 2017. LW: Three of us in the original band all had went to Oberlin at some point. LW: The last two albums ago we crowd funded it. We became The Honeydrops. The band's performance featured a condensed lineup of Lech Wierzynski, . We want crowd involvement and to make people become a part of the whole thing by dancing along, singing, and generally coming out of their shells., Ineffable Music GroupThomas Cussins / Reid Fosterinfo [at] cahoneydrops [dot] com, MINT Talent GroupJerry Limajerry [at] minttalentgroup [dot] com, Ivey PRMaria Iveymaria [at] ivpr [dot] com, Sugaroo!Michael Nievesmichael [at] sugaroo [dot] com. She is exposing us to so many fans. Its the closest thing, [Laughs]. We want requests. We have been going out and playing three hours straight just to let loose a little bit. May 8///Park Tavern ///Atlanta, GA Til about December. LW: Its been good for us. I studied. Lech Wierzynski is the Polish-born frontman and bandleader of The California Honeydrops. MM: Im seeing you open for Bonnie on the 29th at the Boston Orpheum, but I read that youre playing Cambridge, MA, on the 28th. March 26///The Kennedy Center ///Washington, DC* Listening to Lech sing, it can be a surprise that he was born in Warsaw, Poland, and raised by Polish political refugees. For more information, visitQuarantineComesAlive.com. After moving to America, Lech expanded his appreciation of U.S. culture. March 11 ///Concerts in the Studio///Freehold, NJ March 19///Palace Theater///Louisville, KY* LW: That came later. A third studio set, Like You Mean It, arrived in 2013, with A River's Invitation appearing in 2015. The whole point is to erase the boundaries between the crowd and us, Wierzynski says. Years later, Me and Lorenzo were grooving on the riff to a song wed heard played by R.L. (And, despite the band's party-making ethos, the Bonnie Raitt crowd necessitates a sit-down show, so sadly the floor at the Fox won't be open for bouncing around.). Showing Editorial results for lech wierzynski. In other words, there are elements of everything but the kitchen sink in their lush wall of sound and A Rivers Invitation is a ripe and fruity album thats equal parts cohesive and eclectic. And thats kind of where this band was born out of me and her doing the street performance back in the day. THE THIRD TIMES A CHARM: A NEW INTERVIEW WITH DONNIE VIE. Where in the Bay Area have you played recently? The recording process can be tedious and perfectionistic and you get really far in your head. That came probably about two, three, four years into my stay in the Bay. Led by dynamic vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lech Wierzynski, and drawing on diverse musical influences from Bay Area R&B, funk, Southern soul, Delta blues, and New Orleans second-line, the Honeydrops bring vibrant energy and infectious dance-party vibes to their shows. April 3///Knitting Factory///Brooklyn, NY And then the next album that came out the Like You Mean It record was crowd funded through Kickstarter. Are you the one who writes all the songs or do you co-write them with the band? I think spontaneity is the key to making great music, and that can happen anywhere. Rotating between tub bass, jug, washboard and drums are Nansamba Ssensalo and Ben Malament. The show's sold out, but you may find some tickets popping up on Craigslist or elsewhere. April 23 ///Fox Theater///Oakland, CA* Adding pianist Chris Burns and multi-instrumentalist Nansamba Ssensalo, the group released its debut, Soul Tub!, in 2008. And we kind of worked it out together. They released their Like You Mean It on April 19, 2013. Get me outta here, please. But I cant say I enjoy it. James Infirmary and its antecedents have been widely played and loved. of respect," explains Lech Wierzynski, singer, trumpeter, guitarist and leader of the Honeydrops. In a way that, luckily, the stage doesnt allow you. A lot of them kind of start out in my head or I write a lot of songs in my dreams. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Because we were getting sick of the songs we were trying to record. Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Lech Wierzynski Of Bay Area Band The California Honeydrops, On Tour With Bonnie Raitt, Misses Playing In BART Stations, Rogue Butterfly Statue Goes Up in Golden Gate Park, But City Hall Swats It Down, Heklina Memorial Will Be a Block-wide Affair, With Outdoor Stage and Event Projected on a Closed Castro Street, SF Public Library Teaming Up With Amoeba Music To Create Bay Area Artist Streaming Platform. People would start random stuff. 2,561 Followers, 785 Following, 36 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Antoni Lech Wierzynski (@thepolishhoneydrop) How old were you when you left there? It keeps the audience involved. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. When I first came out here I started working with some older R&B musicians. This is a learning experience and an exposure experience for us as a band, you know? And then I did spend some time going to school there in fourth and fifth grade because when it opened back up when my parents were allowed back in my dad went back and worked there. I recently had a chat with frontman, guitarist and trumpet player Lech (pronounced Lesh) Wierzynski about the making of A Rivers Invitation and the bands tour with Bonnie Raitt. Have you been here before? Just because we don't use any synths or computer sounds or whatever, people think of our sound as retro. LW: I ended up in the Bay after I finished school at Oberlin and we went out there with the band and my girlfriend at the time, who was one of the co-founders of the Honeydrops. LW: Weve been once only. [1] Their second album, Spreadin' Honey was released in the summer of 2010. And shes a very sweet, sweet lady. Crossing genres from roots and blues to R&B and soul, The California Honeydrops' sound is tied together by their instrumentation, vocal harmonies and New Orleans style. A makeshift band developed around Lech Wierzynski and fans helped them quickly moved from the streets to parties, clubs and eventually, festivals (including the 2014 Greeley Blues Jam, June 13-14). So, its pretty amazing. Wierzynski was born in Warsaw, Poland, and raised by Polish political refugees. Most known for ywot Mateusza ( Matthew's Days) based on a novel by Norwegian writer Tarjei . It's been great. Known for bringing vibrant energy and infectious dance-party vibes to their shows, the Honeydrops have taken the party all over the world, touring widely across North America, Europe, and Australia. And they said, Well, Ill tell you what. It was their idea. Well, I really appreciate that. "He passed on the love of old stuff to me: everything from Louis Armstrong to Sam Cooke." "@type": "Person", I came here about 11 years ago after college [at Oberlin] with another of the founding members of the band [Ben Malament]. He learned his vocal stylings from contraband American recordings of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Louis Armstrong, and developed them later at Oberlin College and in Oaklands club circuit. We're a band that doesn't have a record label and we raised money for original album using Kickstarter and playing fundraisers at the Cheese Board in Berkeley. Sign in / sign up and request update access to the Lech Wierzynski page. You know, the Bay Are awas significantly cheaper then, so we could pay our rent just kind of busking. Also in the group are Charlie Hickox on keyboards and Bo Bradberry on bass. This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leszczynski research. LW: Well, actually, first we made a bootleg album thats not available that we used to sell on the street. (Sorry mom It was 3 to 1) Here's a tribute to summertime fun, my family across the pond whom I miss so, and a special . And I also played guitar and she would play fiddle. Fans will be able to tune in and watch The California Honeydrops perform live later this month as part of Live For Live Musics Quarantine Comes Alive, a one-day virtual music festival featuring performances by more than 60 of our favorite artists on throughout the day on Saturday, May 30th beginning at 1:00 p.m. And we put a lot of time in. Wierzynski spoke to SFist via phone, from his house in Oakland. Things We Used to Do. Their rhythms are punctuated by trumpet, piano riffs, and bluesy vocals. 1-2. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Its a song that i heard Bonnie sing each and every night when we toured with her and her band 3 years ago and i never got tired of hearing it. This is a song written by John Prine and made famous by Bonnie Raitt. 29 maja 1843 w Oparach, zm. The Leszczyski family used the Clan Wieniawa arms, and their motto was Qui Lescynsciorum genus ignorat, Poloniae ignorat. "When my dad was growing up in communist Poland in the 40's and 50's, old American music was illegal and therefore very cool," said Lech Wierzynski. On this record, though, it was a little bit different because I wouldnt work them out too much. The House of Leszczyski (/ltnski/ lesh-CHIN-skee,[4] Polish:[ltjski] (listen); plural: Leszczyscy, feminine form: Leszczyska) was a prominent Polish noble family. We recorded it in my living room. The last couple shows were at the New Parish and at the Freight & Salvage one show for the partying children and one for the sit-down crowd, you know. A few them them just kind of sprung up out of some jams that we did in between takes. I started playing in school and I had a great teacher, whose name was Vince McCool and then I had another great teacher, Marcus Belgrave, who was a well-known jazz musician. Wierzynskis trumpet, guitar and vocals are supported by the Afro-New Orleans rhythm bent of drummer Ben Malament and the Jazz tinged saxophone of Eddie Palmieri, Nell Carter, and Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums alumnus Johnny Bones. The second album that we didnt record at home, the place that we used to play threw us a fundraiser. Multitracked. Or dance, or drink beer, or head to a reading. What are some of your favorite cities to play in? In 2018, the band released the double album Call It Home, Vols. We used to play a Wednesday pizza gig. Were definitely looking forward to coming back again. So, I played a lot of Louis Armstrong stuff on the trumpet. LW: Yeah. Born in Warsaw, Poland, band leader and front man Lech Wierzynski started playing blues and jazz as a teenager at after-hours jam sessions in Washington D.C. After studying trumpet with Marcus Belgrave, Wierzynski launched his own career in Oakland. His immersion in American culture was sought out and not inherited. * supporting Bonnie Raitt with The Intrinsics They have now gone on to perform across the country and in Europe and recorded several albums. Title of Stanisaw Leszczyski since 9 July 1737, after him the Duchy has been inherited by his son-in-law, king Louis XV of France and incorporated in his dominions, Granted by Emperor Frederick III on the Leszczyski family, Grand Dukes and two Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (17991832), Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria, Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (18671944), Marie-Adlade, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Princess Mara de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leszczyski&oldid=1096834553, Pages using infobox family with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, France, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, This page was last edited on 6 July 2022, at 23:10. 2013 LoveIsPop - part of the CollectionDX Network, Grand Sierra Resort & Casino: Grand Theatre, A Conversation with Adam Jensen (Exclusive Interview), CANDID CONVERSATION: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ADRIANA MATHER. Every crowd has different energy. Theres no actual string bass on that record. Thanks to Lech for taking the time to do this interview! Thank you John Prine and all the musicians that came before us for the gift of music, now as precious and needed as ever. 587 likes. That was our first date. People love to party, people love to sing along, and it's easy to get people loose and having. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories and includes a local jazz events calendar. March 25///Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center///Philadelphia, PA* LW: I had just started writing songs. Having accompanied artists such as Maria Muldaur, Dan Hicks, and Jackie Payne, Wierzynski has . That recorded our album, Spreadin Honey. June 30July 1///High Sierra Music Festival ///Quincy, CA, https://www.youtube.com/user/californiahoneydrops, Tags: 2016, blues, Bonnie Raitt, California, feature, features, interview, interviews, jazz, New Orleans, San Francisco, soul, The California Honeydrops. The family had its greatest importance in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when they were ardent supporters of Calvinism and turned their estates of Leszno and Baranw Sandomierski into major centres of the Polish Reformed Church. "We don't make set lists. Collective in Berkely. 3 and Honeydrops Live 2019; and their first-ever double-album, Call It Home: Vol 1 & 2, in 2018, which No Depression called a fun-filled, funky goodie basket for all occasions.. So, that we can stay in touch with whats actually going on in the room instead of just trying to nail a perfect set or something. Weve been trying to hone our chops on that. Its all tub bass. Chteau de Chambord, where Stanisaw Leszczyski lived between 1725 and 1733. glise Saint-Jacques in Lunville was established by him in 1745. Its a song that i heard Bonnie sing each and every night when we toured with her and her band 3 years ago and i never got tired of hearing it. Delta blues. Spent some time with him for like half a school year, a couple years in a row. And we did a CD release for two nights in September at the Fillmore. Then I would just bring them to the band. People think of us as sort of a retro band because of the sounds we use, but people who know music can hear that there's a lot of stuff in there just in the way we lay our beats and the bass lines, and just the way we put the music together that's actually pretty new. "image": "", This band of expert musicians has created a sound drawing from virtually all areas of African-American music - early folk and New Orleans music, blues, gospel, R & B and soul, creating an excellent and unique style. On today's show I speak with Lech Wierzynski of the California Honeydrops.. MM: Youre on tour with Bonnie Raitt right now, but I understand you recently did a streak of 28 sold out shows of your own. Whether in those high-profile performances or in more intimate venues where the band can leave the stage and get down on the dance floor themselves, the California Honeydrops shared vision and purpose remain: to make the audience dance and singand to give back. Modeled afterBrooklyn Comes AliveandDenver Comes Alive, Quarantine Comes Alive was conceived as a way to celebrate and support musicians, provide fans with unique musical experiences from the comfort of their couches, and raise money for comprehensive COVID-19 relief during this time of uncertainty. They came up to me one day and they were like, Hey, whats it gonna take? Thats something that we really aim to do. ", And their performance style can only be described as trying to get a party started. 2005-2023The California Honeydrops, All Rights Reserved. He played with Ray Charles. The rhythm section of The California Honeydrops comprises the barrelhouse style of Oakland piano veteran Chris Burns. With her, weve got our 45 minutes, which is in itself very gracious of her to even bring us along. Jugband tunes. And then about a year after that we made a more proper album. Interested? The band sold out two nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco in support of the album, and then embarked on a United States tour. I kind of wake up with tunes. "url": "https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/lech-wierzynski" We started playing on the street, mostly. One moment, you will be redirected shortly. The Leszczyski family was a magnate family. June 25///Fountain Blues Festival///Los Gatos, CA France, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus. We never did anything with the idea even though it sounded cool and until the times of quarantine i never had the time to work it out. Nowadays we have management and stuff but we're still independent and want to keep it that way. I think it's cutting edge but most people think our music is retro. Although he plays a wide variety of genre, theres no mistaking guitar, harmonica, banjo and ukulele player Taj Mahal. REVISIT AND REVISE: "I love old music, and I respect it a lot," says vocalist and trumpet player Lech Wierzynski. Friday Night Livestream Sessions with Lech Wierzynski of The California Honeydrops!25% Of All proceeds donated to our charities at www.cahoneydrops.com/sprea. MM: At what point did you decide to make the first California Honeydrops album? LW: I really, really must say I prefer performing live. She's such a sweet person. The California Honeydrops ' singer and guitarist Lech Wierzynski shared a cover performance of "Angel from Montgomery" to the band's social . In 1967 he graduated from the National Film School in d. Wojtek ze Smolnicy", Wadysaw Lubicz" (ur. Years active. MM: Do you have any particular memories of Boston? You know, like, way, way back. Wierzynski was born in Warsaw, Poland, and raised by Polish political refugees. The last representative of the main family, Stanisaw Leszczyski, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and later Duke of Lorraine, died in 1766. Manor House of Rafa Leszczyski in Lublin. An internationally touring band, the Honeydrops draw upon elements. . Wierzynski built on his early base while studying ethno-musicology at Oberlin College. Its just after three days locked up in the studio I start losing my damn mind. While frontman and trumpet player Lech Wierzynski sings and plays trumpet, he's joined by Johnny Bones on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Lorenzo Loera on keys, and Beau Bradbury and Ben Malament. That gets expensive. 2023 Getty Images. So, recording is hard. The California Honeydrops played a U.S. & Spain tour in 2012 including appearances at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival. They released their fifth album on September 11, 2015. Tell us why you would like to improve the Lech Wierzynski musician page. New Orleans is a great city to play where people really know the music. All rights reserved. And we've been jumping up on her set sometimes, and we've had some of her band members come up and play with us during our set. We played a lot at BART stations, a lot at Macarthur, Rockridge, and Ashby. Its really a big honor for us. You can duck off into the woods at a festival and just have this amazing time playing there, you never know. When John Prine passed away last month it seemed like it was time to make the idea come to life as tribute to one of the great song writers of our time. This band was started about two years after moving here [in 2007], and it was because I really wanted to get back to street playing. There's so much to learn just by watching her and listening to her play. Very lively bunch. The Honeydrops' more unusual instruments include a home-made gutbucket bass, jug, and washboard. 1959-2007. But suddenly, the moment the California Honeydrops finished recording the title track of their recent A River's . Their latest album, A River's Invitation, has been described by one critic as "a fabulous, feel-good, fun-fest album of joyous musical partying. We want crowd involvement, to make people become a part of the whole thing by dancing along, singing, picking the songs and generally coming out of their shells. Theres a few of my own little dream songs on there that I kind of just did myself. So, were gonna get to know you guys a little bit better. Yes, I was born in Warsaw, but I'm the only member of the band who's not from California. Your Sweet Love. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you. You might just have an amazing time playing on a street corner. Years later, Me and Lorenzo were grooving on the riff to a song wed heard played by R.L. When It Was Wrong. The young Wierzynski was three years old. Their first album, Soul Tub!, with all original songs was released in November 2008. MM: How does the songwriting process work for you? Weve been getting better at it. March 16///Detroit Opera House ///Detroit, MI* March 12///Palace Theatre///Albany, NY* Prine died from COVID-19 complications last month at the age of 73. Search instead in Creative? Castle in Rydzyna was rebuilt in 1700 by Pompeo Ferrari on his order. The Honeydrops have come a long way since guitarist and trumpeter Lech Wierzynkski and drummer Ben Malament started busking in an Oakland subway station, but the band has stayed true to that organic, street-level feel. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The California Honeydrops Debut Album "Soul Tub!" The Honeydrops are a beloved Bay Area party band with sky-high energy . We tried to do our best with it. [Laughs] And, yeah, we just started playing out at the BART [commuter rail] stations. And theres a bunch of stuff that we collaborated on, too. The California Honeydrops frontman and founding member Lech Wierzynski may seem like an All-American Blues singer and player, but he was born in Warsaw, Poland. Facebook.com/Cat-Tracks-100964685701970Filmed on location in Irwin, Colorado with Eleven Experience and Irwin GuidesLech Wierzynski - Guitar/VocalsSteve Heig. Wed just start jamming something else. Lech Wierzynski Music. May 6 ///Isis///Asheville, NC June 4 ///Mishawaka Amphitheatre ///Bellevue, CO You got your start with the band in Oakland, but you're originally from Poland? MM: I understand you spent your childhood in Poland. May 34 ///Ryman Auditorium///Nashville, TN* What are the advantages to being her opening act as opposed to headlining? This title was conferred on "the entire family". Lech Wierzynski & Lorenzo Loera of The California HoneydropsSteve Height of T Sisters, Emily Day & The Knights, Cosmo AlleycatsThe Fox Den, Piedmont CANovemb. For updates, follow Quarantine Comes Alive onFacebook,Instagram, andTwitterand join theFacebook Event page. Released", The California Honeydrops on ReverbNation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_California_Honeydrops&oldid=1119818230, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking in-text citations from November 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 November 2022, at 15:50. And it was a cooperative. From Lech- "Old school enough for my Dad, catchy enough for my brother, soulful enough for me, but a little too cheesy for mom, the Drifters Golden Hits was the official sound track to the family road trips of my childhood. In 1473, Rafa Leszczyski obtained from Emperor Frederick III the title of count.