Sharon Jones played Nokia Theatre, pre-theft, in NYC - pics

photos by Natasha Ryan

"Sharon and the band played a mix of their last two albums, several awesome new songs that they are still working on, as well as amazing covers of Sam Cooke and Gladys Night numbers -- "A Change is Gonna Come"! It was the best concert of theirs that I've seen so far.

The opening act, Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, were tremendous, laying down soulful and energetic spirituals that had us dancing and singing along. It was like the funkiest gospel church service you ever went to with 600 other NYC hipsters.

Then the Dap Kings came on in full force with three backup singers, full horn section, timpani, and five strings players. Holy crap they laid down a powerful sound in that theater!

But of course the true force to be reckoned with was Ms. Sharon Jones herself. She strutted on stage in a shimmery red dress and shiny silver heels -- that that she later discarded because they were getting in the way of her dancing. Sharon gave us an incredible performance lasting nearly two hours straight. Not bad for a woman soon to be 54."
[The Click Heard Around the World]

Daptone had a rollercoaster of a holiday weekend. It all started on Friday the 13th. Daptone's most prominent performer, Sharon Jones, headlined her first of two nights at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square in NYC. She was backed, as always, by the Dap Kings who share members with Daptone's own Menahan Street Band who were the opener that night. One night later, Saturday the 14th, Valentine's Day, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings took the same stage for the second night in a row. Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, another Daptone band, opened that time. And on Sunday they rested, but not for long. That night, Daptone Records' Brooklyn homebase/studio/office was robbed, and just days before ROD STEWART was/is scheduled "to lay down some music". Needless to say, it was not a happy President's Day in Bushwick.

Keep an eye out for Daptone's stuff. Full list HERE.

More pictures of the headliner from Friday night's show, below...

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings Valentine's at Nokia Theater

I've been interested in the music of Sharon Jones and the Daptone family for some time, but this was my first chance to really get out and make some pictures (at the well-run but airport-like Nokia Theater). Sharon and the Dap Kings' 1st album dropped in 2002 and since then the Daptone Folks have been working their butts off in their mission to save the world with Real Soul Music. I say more power to them.

There is an extended gallery here. see below for highlights...

Naomi Shelton - High Gospel Queen


Binky Griptite sets the tone


Sharon Jones on the scene


I thought the shiny lettering was a nice touch.

Rod Stewart Records At Daptone Studios

by Tim Cashmere - February 17 2009

Rod Stewart has a session booked in the Daptone studio kicking off this Friday.

There is no word as to what is going to come of the session, but if it’s Rod and the Dap-Kings, could it be anything less than amazing? No, it can’t.

There is one small problem though. The Daptone Studios were broken into recently, and an awful lot of stuff is missing.

At the time of writing, a full inventory had not been taken because the police were yet to investigate and the scene had to be left untouched, but at first glance this list has been put together of missing items:

Fender Super Guitar Amp in case
Fender Deluxe Guitar Amp
A whole bunch of headphones and wires
Nydia's HP laptop computer
One Desktop MacIntosh Computer
One Purple Audio API style lunchbox with
four Purple Audio Biz mic pre-amps
2 Yamaha NS10 monitors
Vintage Harmony Rocket Guitar
One steel string acoustic guitar
Martin Tenor sax in a gig bag
Technics 1200 turntable
Ion USB turntable
Teac Receiver/stereo amp
Sony dual deck CD burner/player
All of our modem/phone system stuff was ripped out and taken.
A whole bunch of condensor and dynamic microphones (I still need to
figure out exactly what's missing)
The power supply for my Trident console was tossed and the board was
moved (probably not gently) so the status of that is still questionable.
A baldwin organ was tossed and is probably broken.
Lacie External hard drive

To make matters worse, the staff at Daptone were searching for different insurance companies, but hadn’t signed on the dotted line. Thus they have to bear the brunt of this themselves.

According to a blog post by Gabriel Roth, bassist, band leader and producer of the Dap Kings, they’re determined to get the studio up and running for the Stewart sessions, so if anyone can help them, let them know:

Daptone Records
115 Troutman St.
Brooklyn, NY 11206
718.366.3849
info@daptonerecords.com

The Dap-Kings, who originally backed the incomparable Sharon Jones, have also worked extensively with Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse and soul and funk legends like Naomi Shelton, Naomi Davis and Lee Fields.

Daptone Records is based in New York City and is there to promote vinyl pressings of vintage funk and soul.

Grooving to Sharon Jones and Dap Kings in Times Square last night!

Last night, a bunch of friends and I caught Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the swank Nokia Theater in Times Square. Sharon and the band played a mix of their last two albums, several awesome new songs that they are still working on, as well as amazing covers of Sam Cooke and Gladys Night numbers -- "A Change is Gonna Come"! It was the best concert of theirs that I've seen so far.

The opening act, Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, were tremendous, laying down soulful and energetic spirituals that had us dancing and singing along. It was like the funkiest gospel church service you ever went to with 600 other NYC hipsters.

Then the Dap Kings came on in full force with three backup singers, full horn section, timpani, and five strings players. Holy crap they laid down a powerful sound in that theater!

But of course the true force to be reckoned with was Ms. Sharon Jones herself. She strutted on stage in a shimmery red dress and shiny silver heels -- that that she later discarded because they were getting in the way of her dancing. Sharon gave us an incredible performance lasting nearly two hours straight. Not bad for a woman soon to be 54.

For those who follow these things, no, I did not catch lightning thrice. I was not dancing on stage this time around (unlike the Apollo and Central Park Summerstage). I was a bit too far back from the front of the stage to catch Sharon's eye, hidden behind some very tall people. Whatever. It doesn't diminish the experience at all. And we got to enjoy seeing Sharon lay down the law on a couple of crazy drunk women who wrangled their way onto stage even when she didn't call on them. Heaven protect anyone who tries to upstage Ms. Jones.

It's great to see how much of a family the Daptones Records folks are. A friend of mine tells me that a member of the Sugarman Three, guitarist Coleman Mellet, died on the Buffalo plane crash last week, which reportedly depressed everyone in the Daptones family.

While Sharon Jones was clearly the headliner, the signage behind the stage and on graphics on the tee-shirts in the lobby all said "SJDK" : Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. The power of the music comes from the ensemble effort of everyone playing their hearts out, from Anda on baritone sax (whose birthday it was) to Binky Griptite on guitar (the awesomest band name ever), to Jack on percussion.

And despite their somewhat surprising international fame, they are still remarkably humble. Gabe "Bosco," the producer of Daptone Records, and Binky wandered around the lobby chatting with people after the show. Sharon Jones hung out near the gift shop signing stuff, kissing, chatting and taking photos with every single person who wanted to see her up close. What kind of diva does that?

I guess it's because Sharon always reminds us of where she comes from and how hard it was to get where she is. From a struggling singer in her twenties who the record labels told was "too black, too fat and too short" to headlining on Times Square. Now in her fifties, to be doing what she knew God had annointed her to do, in her words, she can only be grateful.

So when Sharon sings "answer me, Sweet Jesus," we all know what the answer was.

Imaginary meet-up: Dark Was The Night listening party at Moe Bar on Saturday (2/21)

Submitted by three imaginary... on February 11, 2009.

Three Imaginary Girls has joined forces with the folks at the Red Hot Organization, Insound.com, and 4AD to put together a Dark Was The Night listening party at the Moe Bar on Saturday, February 21st from 7pm to 9pm.

The night is free and will feature a chances for you to win your own copy of the Dark Was The Night album and good times. We'll be playing the double album set in its entirety.

The album features saa-weet tracks from a slew of indie favorites (Stuart Murdoch, Spoon, Arcade Fire, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and tons more).

Not only that, it serves as a perfect pre-funk if you're headed to the A.C . Newman show at Neumo's (conveniently located right next door to the Moe Bar) (enter to win tickets to the A.C. Newman show from TIG).

If you want to sample the record ahead of time, check out the DWTN MySpace page where they are streaming some of the album's tracks until the release date (February 17th) or download this mp3 of a track supplied by Dirty Projectors + David Byrne.

See you at the Moe Bar on Saturday February 21st to hang out and listen to some stellar tunes!

And here's the full track listing for those of us that love the details:

THIS DISC

1 Knotty Pine - Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
2 Cello Song (Nick Drake) - The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
3 Train Song (Vashti Bunyan recorded, written by Alasdair Clayre) - Feist + Ben Gibbard
4 Brackett, WI - Bon Iver
5 Deep Blue Sea - Grizzly Bear
6 So Far Around the Bend - The National (arrangement by Nico Muhly)
7 Tightrope - Yeasayer
8 Feeling Good (popularized by Nina Simone) - My Brightest Diamond
9 Dark Was the Night (Blind Willie Johnson) - Kronos Quartet
10 I Was Young When I Left Home (Bob Dylan) - Antony + Bryce Dessner
11 Big Red Machine - Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner
12 Sleepless - The Decemberists
13 Stolen Houses (Die) - Iron and Wine
14 Service Bell - Grizzly Bear + Feist
15 You Are The Blood - Sufjan Stevens

THAT DISC

1 Well-Alright - Spoon
2 Lenin - Arcade Fire
3 Mimizan - Beirut
4 El Caporal - My Morning Jacket
5 Inspiration Information (Shuggie Otis) - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
6 With A Girl Like You (The Troggs) - Dave Sitek
7 Blood Pt 2 (based on original song "You are the Blood" by the Castanets) - Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
8 Hey, Snow White (Destroyer) - The New Pornographers
9 Gentle Hour (Snapper) - Yo La Tengo
10 Another Saturday (traditional song) - Stuart Murdoch
11 Happiness - Riceboy Sleeps
12 Amazing Grace (traditional song) - Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
13 The Giant Of Illinois (Handsome Family) - Andrew Bird
14 Lua - Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch
15 When the Road Runs Out - Blonde Redhead + Devastations
16 Love vs. Porn - Kevin Drew

Plan the ultimate Valentine's Day

by Jodi Lee Reifer

Thursday February 12, 2009, 1:00 AM

LEVEL III (HEATING IT UP)
-- Work up a soulful sweat with Daptone recording artists Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (aka the working-overtime Afro-beatniks of S.I.'s Budos Band). Jones, Brooklyn's underground-diva-turned-international-concert sensation, is performing a two-night-stand (7 p.m. Feb. 13 & 14) at Manhattan's Nokia Theatre, 1515 Broadway (NokiaTheatreNYC.com). Tix: $35.

http://www.silive.com/entertainment/recreation/index.ssf/2009/02/plan_the_ultimate_valentines_d.html

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings: Believe the Hype

"Funksplosion" care of The Kozy Shack, via Flickr.

Though Sharon Jones was the first concert this Seattlest attended in 2009, we will make a wager that it will far surpass anything we'll see for the remainder of the year (concert-wise) and for that matter, possibly next year too.

Frequenting the popular Emerald City Soul Club at Eastlake's Lo-Fi as of late put us in the mood for soul and the crowd that goes with it. Although the Sharon Jones audience was no ECSC crowd, the mood and vibe were similar. We were worried that people would not be dancing, as Seattle shows often suffer from this disease. Fears were allayed, people were getting their groove on.

She'll be 53 in May, but Sharon Jones has the agility of 23-year-old paired with legs that won't quit. The Dap-Kings, an eight-piece funk band known for accompanying Jones and Amy Winehouse, held their own, playing about a 15-minute warm-up set that got the crowd goin' before Jones set foot onstage. Outfitted in a '60's-style brocade dress and stiletto heels, Sharon also dressed the part.

Various ladies and gents were hoisted up from the front and center of the crowd to dance alongside Jones and her sweet moves--moves that we will work at emulating for future soul nights. When one gal couldn't cut it, she was sent back to the floor with Sharon exclaiming, "Well, what did you want to get up here for?"

Fun and games aside, a somber rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" nearly brought tears to our eyes. We could not help quietly chanting "Obama" near the end. Sharon masterfully carried off throwback and new while epitomizing a classic soul sound. Meanwhile the Dap-Kings infused horns, drums, and base into an explosion of funk. The main set ended with "100 Days, 100 Nights" from the 2007 album, then they returned after a screaming encore,

Aside from the opener, the folksy Ivan Milev band (which provided nothing more than acoustic background music), there was not a dull moment in the night. We've since changed our Facebook religious views to worshiping in the house of Sharon Jones. Hallelujah.

Review: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at the Crystal Ballroom

Posted by Luciana Lopez, The Oregonian January 31, 2009 21:26PM

Categories: Music Subject Stories, Music Top Stories, Reviews, Shows

"That's all right, I can work it," Sharon Jones told the audience Friday night when she learned the number of presumably innocent-eared under-agers present.

The lady didn't lie.

Jones is the kind of singer who does the term soul justice -- that's where her power comes from, and that's where she aims it. Though she worked in relative obscurity for years (she's in her early 50s), she's recently caught on fire, and she and the Dap-Kings, themselves excellent ambassadors for the genre, have been steadily building their audience.

In fact, when Jones came to Portland in late 2007, she played at the Doug Fir. A hip joint, and a high-quality one, but a venue only about a fifth the size of the Crystal Ballroom, which was packed on Friday night. The line outside, in fact, was just about the longest I've ever seen it. (Note to Jones and the D-Ks: Maybe a two-night stand next time?)

Jones is a whirlwind of energy on stage, dancing, strutting, getting down on her knees and rising again. She brought a number of audience members on stage during the night, and only one -- a kid who looked in his early teens -- even kind of kept up with her. She is indefatigable. She sang for a little over an hour and a half (the band did a few songs without her to start the show) and was as strong at the end as she was at the start. At one point, she even took off her heels and earrings to go into a song that detailed her own ancestry both in music and dance. Yes, she did this at the Doug Fir show, too, but her energy makes it worth watching as many times as she performs it.

While she and the Dap-Kings played much from their previous albums, they also played some new, as-of yet unrecorded songs. The two songs suggest the next album will be a continuation of the solid soul sound on which they've built their careers, a sound that would be called retro if not for the fact that these musicians actually lived through the golden years of soul themselves.

And speaking of that era: The night's highlight was easily their rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." This is a song that's every bit as relevant today as it ever was, and to hear someone sing it with Jones' heartfelt power was moving.

"I never though that I'd see it," she said after she closed the song.

-- Luciana Lopez; lucianalopez@news.oregonian.com

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings | 01.28 | S.F.

By: Jim Welte

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings :: 01.28.09 :: The Warfield :: San Francisco, CA

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings by Tobias Schneider

Much like the man who just took the White House, Sharon Jones can work a crowd. The pint-sized soul dynamo came to The Warfield with the world's tightest living funk band, The Dap-Kings, and like a true orator-in-chief, she had a packed house hanging on her every word. With her eight-piece backing band laying down thick, early Stax-era grooves, Jones cajoled and chastised, praised and preached, whipping her congregation into a frenzy with ease.

While the music harkened back to the 1960s, the performance was a perfect capsule for the Internet-fueled, look-at-me generation. Throughout the night, Jones invited fans onstage, sometimes individually, others in groups. There was the guy who seemed dressed to provide the answer to the night's "Where's Waldo?" contest, and the lanky, pony-tailed guy who made up for his lack of rhythm with plenty of spirit. There was the nattily dressed gentleman who Jones booted off the stage for dancing too slow, only to be invited back later to fit perfectly with a ballad. ("He was better for that tune ya'll. I call the shots here," she said.)

And then there was 12-year-old Andrew, a bright-eyed, limber-armed dancer who received a tutorial on the birds and the bees from a 52-year-old woman with a capital W, right in front of his parents. "Don't worry, I'll keep it clean ya'll," Jones promised. As she launched into the song "Be Easy," she told Andrew that when the time comes for him to become a man, "Don't be scurred. You be easy, and some young girl will be easy, too." The crowd roared. It's quite likely that the huge grin young Andrew wore as he left the stage has not yet abated.

The band drew from each of its three albums together, but leaned heavily on 100 Days, 100 Nights, the August 2007 release that, coupled with the Dap-Kings' backing of Amy Winehouse, sent the group into the stratosphere. The band's last non-festival show in the Bay Area was at 685-capacity Bimbo's 365 Club, while the Warfield tops out at 2200.

Sharon Jones by Kelly Jo Garner

"Keep on Looking," with its propulsive guitar and horn stabs, served as the platform for instrumental solos, a showcase for a band that has a remarkable output in recent years. In addition to projects with Jones and Winehouse, the Dap-Kings played on the bulk of the tracks for producer Mark Ronson's 2007 album, Version, as well as Make the Road by Walking, an instrumental soul/funk album from fellow Dap-King Tommy Brenneck's Menahan Street Band, featuring members of the Budos Band, El Michels Affair and Antibalas.

But, two tracks truly captured what's going on today. The band closed out the blistering two-hour set with "Answer Me," a pew-shaking gospel track from 100 Days. Minutes earlier, the group's cover of Sam Cooke's 1963 classic "A Change Is Gonna Come" was as stirring rendition of the song as you'll ever hear, with Jones pouring herself into the lyrics. Everyone clearly had President Barack Obama on the brain, but Jones could have equally been reflecting on her own life as a former correctional officer at Rikers Island that's climbed to music's mountaintop.

Jones was a force throughout, shimmying, stomping and shrieking like her fellow Augusta, GA native, the late Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Like her idol, Jones is one of the hardest working women in show business, having toured almost incessantly since the late 2007 release of 100 Days. She paid a tribute to Brown by taking the crowd through a series of dances he made famous, from the Mash Potato and the Tighten Up to the Boogaloo and The Pony. During the encore, she danced her way through a lesson into her ancestry, moving through West African and Native American steps with gusto.

Jones summed up the night herself, counting her blessings and noting that some great bands have lousy singers, while talented singers frequently front rotten bands. "But we have the whole package," she said.

JamBase | Solid Ground
Go See Live Music!

http://www.myspace.com/sharonjonesandthedapkings

[Published on: 1/30/09]

LIVE AND DANGEROUS: Time to get funk-ified

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings land in San Diego bringing hip, groovy soul into the hearts of all

Anya Moberly, Assistant Tempo Editor

Print this article

Share this article

Published: Thursday, January 29, 2009

Updated: Thursday, January 29, 2009

Lindsay Martin / Senior Staff Photographer

Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., Jones (seen above) and the Dap-Kings are a must-see for fans of bluesy jazz.

Step aside Aretha, there’s a new super soul sister in town.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings is a relatively young band with an old soul, bringing back the funky spirit of 1970s R&B.

Last Friday’s lively show at downtown’s 4th and B venue was a flashback to the retro funk movement, which celebrated the various melding of instrumental sound to create a groove-tastic experience.

Once the already dim venue cued the audience for the start of the show, the Dap-Kings came on to set the mood with some rhythm and blues and accenting vocals by lead guitarist Binky Griptite.

The eight-person band is just as diverse as its sound, ranging from tight riffs to slow, soul-inspired songs. The Dap-Kings hosts both young and veteran musicians, drums, guitars, a bass, congas, a trumpet, two saxophones and the occasional tambourine accent, which is how it creates the authentic funk sound with effortless blending.

Originating in the mid- ‘90s, the Dap-Kings connected with Sharon Jones through a mutual musician friend, 1970s legend Lee Fields. After several breakthrough singles, the group began its soulful journey and old-time blues was soon revived.

Without further adieu, the vocal diva herself entered in a youthful dress and energetic presence. Jones’ rich voice got the venue down on the ground dancin’ and her passion exuded from her like the sound itself. Everything about her seemed comfortable and in the zone. She opted to remove her heels to really give the floor a beating. She also sang and signed autographs in a graceful synchronism, further impressing her wide-eyed audience.

Almost every song was personalized with a “San Diego” touch, either inserting our city in the chorus or with Jones beginning a song by asking the audience, “Come on San Diego, tell me you love me.”

Jones would even invite the audience to participate in helping with lyrics and join her on stage for some dance steps. The most impressive of all participants was a lucky man named Jack, who climbed on stage, appearing as giddy as a schoolboy. With a blushing, red face and surprisingly killer dance moves, Jack “Mackin” wowed not only the audience but also the lovely Jones herself.

It was during her performance of “You’re Gonna Get It” that she and Jack grooved in sync while she sang “I’m gonna give it to you baby, my love” into his eyes. Jack’s enthusiastic moves must have really made an impression because at the end of the show he gushed how amazing it was to be up there with her and even flashed a piece of paper with her phone number on it. Now that’s a lucky fan.

But Jack Mackin’ wasn’t the only one to enjoy the show.

The Dap-Kings’ groove perfectly complemented its lead’s vibe, prompting everyone in the audience to mash their own proverbial potatoes.

It was far too soon that the band was finishing its set and exiting the stage, only to find themselves being overwhelmingly encored by an uncompromising audience.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings ended its ‘70s style funk performance with a never-ending applause as Jones herself touched the hands and hearts of each member of the audience.

For more information on Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings tour dates, visit www.daptonerecords.com