Dom Flemons is a multi-instrumentalist and a songster. Playing in a broad range of old-time blues, country, string band, rock and jazz, he has impressed audiences with his outrageous performance style. "I always try keep the audience guessing," Dom says, "it makes the performance more interesting." Dom currently in upper Manhattan in New York City. As a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dom has toured all over the world going as far as Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Holland and Belgium. He is up for most any type of gig having played from coffee houses to street corners to house parties to the big-time venues.
Dom has performed at such venues as the National Folk Festival, the Newport Folk Festival, The Grand Ole Opry, Prairie Home Companion, Merlefest, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, The Tavis Smiley Show, The Bob Harris show on the BBC, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Spoleto Music Festival, Bonnaroo, The Fillmore in San Francisco, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, The Bowery Ballroom in NYC, Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture in New York, The Ryman Auditorium, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ottawa Folk Festivals, The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, The Sage in Gateshead, England, The New Morning in Paris, The Paradiso in Amsterdam, The Carter Family Fold, Old Town School of Folk Music and Bristol Rhythm and Roots just to name a few. "I have been very fortunate to play in so many places because I know for a fact that many before and after may not get the opportunities to do so. I do not take it for granted. It is just a thrill to be here as fan and music collector myself."
Though he has studied music performance independently for the past 11 years, he has been making it a point to study with elders in the North Carolina community and beyond. He has met and played with such figures of traditional music as Joe Thompson, John Dee Holeman, Mike Seeger, Sule Greg Wilson, John Hammond, Lightnin' Wells, Algia Mae Hinton, Odetta, Jools Holland, Don Vappie, Cheick Hamala Diabate, Marty Stuart, Sharon Jones, Alvin "Youngblood" Hart, Boo Hanks and has even played on stage with Old Crow Medicine Show a few times. Dom has volunteered several different projects including work with the Music Maker Relief Foundation and filmmaker Murray Lerner. Though given all of these great opportunities, Dom is still as always an avid music collector with a collection that contains over 2500 albums of every genre. He is always open to people getting in touch with him and is ready to hear from you.
For information on booking Dom for gigs and workshops please contact his booking agent Chris Colbourn with Concerted Efforts. Please be aware that the gigs have to be worked around the Carolina Chocolate Drops schedule. Do consult the CCD website at www.carolinachocolatedrops.com before inquiring about Dom as a solo.
Chris Colbourn, Concerted Efforts
chris@concertedefforts.com
(617) 969.0810
www.concertedefforts.com
Dom Flemons now has a CD, "Dance Tunes, Ballads and Blues" available for $12 on the Music Maker Relief Foundation Label. Use this link to buy a CD directly from Music Maker (or even enjoy some of the label's brilliant albums):
http://www.musicmakerstore.org/domfldatubaa1.html
OR BUY IT ON iTUnes. Just look up "Dom Flemons"
His second album, "American Songster" is now available on Music Maker. Use this link to get a copy:
http://www.musicmakerstore.org/dom-flemons-american-songster.html
or BUY IT On iTunes. Just look up "Dom Flemons"
Along with his bandmates from the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dom is featured on the soundtrack to the Denzel Washington Movie, "The Great Debaters". They are featured on four tracks including "Blood In My Eyes For You" where Dom is doing a vocal duet with Alvin "Youngblood" Hart. The movie is now available on DVD and in the 2-DVD set you can find Dom with his bandmates being interviewed on the documentary "A Heritage of Music" about the soundtrack to the movie.
An article in Yes! Weekly named "I've Got Blood In My Eyes For You" 71 on its list of the 100 Greatest Songs of North Carolina. See the aricle on-line at http://www.yesweekly.com/article-6297-the-100-north-carolina-songs.html
Dom and the Carolina Chocolate Drops are featured on NPR's All THings Considered promoting their new album GEnuine Negro Jig. Please check the link for more information: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123652457&ft=1&f=1039
Here is a link to their appearance on Fresh Air with Terry Gross:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123968480
and here is their appearance on World Cafe Live:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122620195
For some samples of Dom's live performances on video through the ages as well as some of his back-up work check out youtube.com/users/domflemonshttp://www.facebook.com/video/?of=692062201.
For information on booking Dom for gigs and workshops please contact his booking agent Chris Colbourn with Concerted Efforts. Please be aware that the gigs have to be worked around the Carolina Chocolate Drops schedule. Do consult the CCD myspace before inquiring about Dom as a solo.
Chris Colbourn, Concerted Efforts
chris@concertedefforts.com
(617) 969.0810
www.concertedefforts.com
He also does back-up work. If there anything that you think I could add to your recording then please contact me. I play guitar, banjo (four, five & six), jug, harmonica, kazoo, quills (panpipes), bones, snare drum and bass drum.
"People have begun to ask me about the quills that I play on stage. When I first met Mike Seeger 5 years ago, he directed me to the fellow who he got his quills from. The company is called Chaskinakuy and the maker's name is Edmond Badoux. He makes very wonderful quills and I would recommend them to anyone. He can make the quills in any key and in any musical scale that one might want to order (the ones I use are G and A Pentatonic). Check out his website for more information at: www.chaskinakuy.com and let him know that I sent you."- Dom Flemons
This player showcases Dom playing solo:
This player showcases Dom in group settings:
You can find also find a few of the stories behind the videos under the "Inluences" section of the page.
www.youtube.com/users/domflemons
http://www.facebook.com/video/?of=692062201 (for facebook)
Finally here is a player with videos that Dom likes:
Dom Flemons Discography:
2005 Sankofa Strings- Colored Aristocracy (vocal, guitar, 4-string banjo, jug, harmonica)
2006 Carolina Chocolate Drops- Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind (vocal, guitar, jug, 4-string slide banjo, snare drum)
2006 Dom Flemons- Dance Tunes, Ballads and Blues
2007 National Jug Band Jubilee- Jug Band Music: You Can't be Serious (with CCD)
2007 Boo Hanks- Pickin' Low Cotton (second guitar, harmonica, jug)
2007 The Great Debaters Soundtrack (vocal, banjo, harmonica, guitar)
2007 Carolina Chocolate Drops- Heritage (vocal, guitar, 4-string banjo, jug, bones, snare drum)
2008 Jug Band Jubilee- Uncorking America's Happiest Music (with CCD)
2008 Allison Williams- Give Me The Roses (vocal, guitar, quills, harmonica, snare drum)
2008 Elftones & Rhiannon- All The Pretty Horses (harmonica, 4-string banjo)
2009 Carolina Chocolate Drops & Joe Thompson (vocal, bones, jug, guitar)
2009 What Can An Old Man Do. But Sing The Blues (jug, harmonica, bones)
2009 Dom Flemons- American Songster
2009 Things About Comin' My Way: A Tribute To The Music of The Mississippi Sheiks (with CCD)
2009 East River String Band- Drunken BarrelHouse Blues (vocal, harmonica, guitar, quills, jug)
2010 Carolina Chocolate Drops- Genuine Negro Jig (vocal, guitar, 4-string banjo, jug, bones)
2010 Sule Greg Wilson- Runaway Dream: Post African Music (bones, guitar, quills, snare drum, vocal comments)
2010 Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii EP (vocal, 4-string banjo, handclaps bones)
