Sharon Jones' brassy, Staxy soul isn't neo-soul, or a tribute to soul, or even soul-filled music. It's simply the real thing. By working with a tight-knit crew with similar standards, Jones has been able to create unadulterated music for years for an appreciative audience — without commercial distraction or intervention. She's part of a growing new wave of old-school artists (think Bettye LaVette, Solomon Burke and Mavis Staples) who have been embraced by a new mainstream audience — providing further evidence that God's record collection is heavy on James Brown and Marvin Gaye, and he uses a real turntable.
Although she'd been doing session work and odd club gigs for a decade, in 1996 Jones got the chance to sing back-up for '70s soul quasi-legend Lee Fields. It was her first work for the revered underground label Desco, and her friendships there would greatly impact her future. After recording with Fields and other Desco artists, Jones cut various singles — which became favored in the hands of U.K. club DJs. After Desco's demise in 2002, she and the Dap-Kings quickly bowed their debut, Dap-Dippin', for Daptone Records. Established and serious by 2005, they released the groove-infested Naturally, followed by an even more impressive 100 Days, 100 Nights in 2007.
Jones and her Dap-Kings are the rare collective that lives up to the hype. The exposure they've gained by providing some of the foundation on Amy Winehouse's Back To Black album and Jones' small on-screen role and significant contribution to the soundtrack of The Great Debaters is simply a reward for years of hard work.
Provenance: Jones was born in Augusta, Georgia; the band was formed in Brooklyn, New York
Latest release: 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)
© 2008 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
