The California Honeydrops
The California Honeydrops celebrate their 10th year together with the release of their 7th
studio album and first ever double album, “Call It Home: Vol. 1 & 2” and continue to tour
worldwide. 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. They’ve taken the party all over the world, playing festivals of all kinds and touring
widely across North America, Europe and Australia. In 2016 & 2017 the Honeydrops were
honored to support Bonnie Raitt on her North America release tour—and in the past have been
privileged to support the likes of B.B. King, Allen Toussaint, Buddy Guy, and Dr. John. Whether
in those high-profile performances or in more intimate venues where the band itself can leave
the stage and get down on the dance floor, the California Honeydrops’ shared vision and
purpose remain: to make the audience dance and sing.
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. 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. 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. More like parties
than traditional concerts, their shows feature extensive off-stage jamming and crowd interaction.
“The whole point is to erase the boundaries between the crowd and us,” Wierzynski says. “We
don’t make setlists. We want requests. 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.”
The California Honeydrops
