Rhiannon Giddens - Artist Spotlight
Today we're featuring Rhiannon Giddens, an indie folk gypsy bluegrass tour-de-force who has made waves in the folk community while floating under the mainstream radar. Giddens has just been awarded one of twenty four MacArthur Genius Grants by the foundation and I can't wait to see what her next project is. I had the chance to catch her on tour this summer at Blues Fest in Chicago, a free festival hosted by the city at Millenium Park and was absolutely enthralled by her performance and passion onstage.
LOST ON THE RIVER
I first discovered Rhiannon Giddens through the T-Bone Burnett produced studio ensemble known as The New Basement Tapes. Joined by other artists including Elvis Costello, Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith, Marcus Mumford, and Jim James, along with several studio musicians, Rhiannon set to work completing recently discovered Bob Dylan lyrics, adding and arranging words to original music created in the studio. Giddens' contributions to the project are some of the most traditional sounding, her roots in folk music a major influence on her approach to the lyrics. The spare use of instrumentation on "Lost On The River #20" makes it one of the best pieces on the entire album, featuring Giddens powerful vocals with an acoustic guitar and backup vocals as accompaniment.
A TASTE OF THE TRADITIONAL
Giddens' projects are as varied as her musical talent. Besides boasting powerful and jazz infused vocals, Giddens plays banjo, and fiddle. These talents are prominently on display in her work with Carolina Chocolate Drops, a string band founded in 2005. Giddens, along with Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson and occasionally Sule Greg Wilson, blend folk and Appalachian sounds with gypsy jazz jigs into original songs that sound both timeless and contemporary.
After the New Basement Tapes project, Giddens released two solo albums, 2015's "Tomorrow Is My Turn" and 2017's "Freedom Highway," with the Grammy nominated EP "Factory Girl" released in between. With each album, Giddens continues to show her love for traditional songs and her ability to adapt between gospel hymns, Appalachian and Celtic folk songs, contemporary blues and R&B ballads.
To truly grasp the scope of her work, follow the "Rhiannon Giddens Complete" Playlist on Spotify, which includes her solo work, her time with Carolina Chocolate Drops and The New Basement Tapes, as well as duets with other artists including Sam Beam, Sxip Shirey, and Leyla McCalla.
How did you discover Rhiannon Giddens? What's your favorite song by her?
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