The Ditty Bops

Los Angeles duo the Ditty Bops deliver an engaging blend of folk, pop, Western swing, and early vocal jazz, centered on the close harmonies of Amanda Barrett, who contributes mandolin and dulcimer, and Abby DeWald, who handles guitar. The pair first crossed paths in New York City during the late 1990s yet waited until their return to California before forming a musical partnership. Barrett, raised in Topanga, took up the fretted dulcimer at age six, later spent her teenage years modeling in Europe, and relocated to New York in her early twenties. DeWald, who spent her formative years in northern California, studied piano as a child; although her household favored classical repertoire exclusively, she developed a strong interest in ragtime and electric blues. An earlier ensemble that performed 1920s material while wearing period attire prompted the two musicians to infuse the Ditty Bops with comparable theatricality without restricting themselves to strict historical accuracy, incorporating puppet shows, illustrations, and elaborate costumes and wigs that lend a cabaret atmosphere to their concerts. Warner Bros. discovered the group during a Los Angeles-area performance, leading to a record deal and the release of their self-titled debut album, produced by Mitchell Froom. Later the same year they joined the Dresden Dolls and Count Zero for a coast-to-coast tour. Their second album, Moon Over the Freeway, arrived in 2006 alongside a bicycle trek across the country.