Classic Honeydrops soul with a stripped-back, intimate vibe. Lech’s soft, tender vocals pull you in and leave you fully immersed in the feeling of being in love.

Shine Delight

Recorded at survivor studios in oakland
Antoni Lech Wierzynski - Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Electric guitar, Producer, Composer
Gary Kehoe - Percussion
Benjamin Malament - Percussion
Lorenzo Loera - Bass Guitar
Leon Cotter - Clarinets
Scott Mcdowell - Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer
JJ Golden - Mastering Engineer

LYRICS:

Ooh
Laugh and we cry
Fail but we try
And life goes on
Sunshine and rain 
Seasons change
And life goes on
Hold on
Hold on
Later we’ll see it was all worthwhile

Ooh

Ooh
Laugh and we cry
Fail but we try
And life goes on
Sunshine and rain 
Seasons change
And life goes on
Hold on
Maybe we’ll see it was all worthwhile

Hold On

Nothing But A Man

Do It Like That

For the 47th edition of the Phonica Mix Series, we welcome Swedish DJ, producer and leader of the infamous Studio Barnhus crew, Axel Boman. 

Full feature and interview on Off The Record: bit.ly/PhonicaMix47

Phonica Mix Series

Feature & Interview

Phonica Mix Series 47: Axel Boman

“The California Honeydrops...evoke the greasy rumble of Booker T and channel the spiritual ecstasy of Sly and the Family Stone.” -Rolling Stone

Formed in the subway systems of Oakland, retro-soul outfit The California Honeydrops are an electrifying group that defy convention at every turn. They’ve become a mainstay at festivals including Byron Bay Bluesfest (Australia), Outside Lands, Monterey Jazz, Lightning In A Bottle, and touring with B.B. King, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, and Allen Toussaint. Led by the enigmatic and energetic frontman, Lech Wierzynski, and drummer Benjamin Malament, each member of the band is a virtuoso in their own rite — Yanos “Johnny Bones” Lustig on saxophone, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards/guitar, Beaumont Beaullieu on bass, and regularly accompanied by Oliver Tuttle on trombone, Leon Cotter on saxophone/clarinet, and Miles Lyons on trombone/sousaphone — navigating through a vast repertoire of original songs and timeless classics every night. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the art of improvisation - a skill so finely honed that they have completely abandoned the use of set lists and no two shows are ever the same. Off stage, their music has been streamed more than 200 million times, and placed in a variety of TV and films, including “Dead To Me,” “Alaska Daily,” “Black-ish” and more. They are currently touring North America in support of their new deluxe album, 'Soft Spot'.

https://ineffable.to/softspotdeluxe
 

The Honeydrops have come a long way since guitarist and trumpeter Lech Wierzynkski and drummer Ben Malament started busking in an Oakland BART station, but the band has stayed true to that organic, street-level feel. With the additions of Johnny Bones on tenor sax and clarinet, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards, and Beau Bradbury on bass, they’ve built a powerful full-band sound to support Wierzynski’s vocals.

 

Listening to Lech sing, it can be a surprise that he was born in Warsaw, Poland, and raised by Polish political refugees. He learned his vocal stylings from contraband American recordings of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Louis Armstrong, and later at Oberlin College and on the club circuit in Oakland, California. Bringing all those influences together with the rest of the band’s diverse experiences into a unified musical vision, the California Honeydrops expect to play parties for a long time.

 

 Discography:

    Like You Mean It (2013)
     Honeydrops Live (2012)
    Spreadin' Honey (2010)
    Soul Tub (2008)

Nothing But A Man

The California Honeydrops

Related tracks