The rhythm and soul of this Piedmont-rooted, North Carolina-based crew electrified the crowds at ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival in 2011. From old-time numbers learned at the knee of the late octogenarian fiddler Joe Thompson to contemporary jazz and blues renditions, this ensemble brims with musical vigor and gives its audiences an “end-to-end display of excellence” (The New York Times). As band members Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens, Hubby Jenkins, and Leyla McCalla ply banjo, fiddle, bones, voices, and more, they both celebrate and freshly interpret the black string band tradition, highlighting the central role that African Americans have played in shaping our nation’s distinctive popular music from its beginnings more than a century ago. Their ever-evolving sound is scrupulously researched, passionately delivered, and “unlike anything else in today’s popular music” (SoulTrain.com). For ticket information contact the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at 217-333-6280 or visit http://www.krannertcenter.com/.