Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Fri., Dec. 14, 9pm. $15. With Budos Band. Fillmore at the TLA, 334 South St. 215.922.1011. www.livenation.com
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Fri., Dec. 14, 9pm. $15. With Budos Band. Fillmore at the TLA, 334 South St. 215.922.1011. www.livenation.com
Joshua Valocchi
Making an all-too-rare Philadelphia appearance, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings bring their classic soul revue to the TLA this weekend as the headlining act of a rousing funktasic double bill with the inimitable Budos Band.
Originally formed as the Soul Providers in the mid-1990s, today’s Dap-Kings act as the house band for New York’s Daptone Records. Boasting an eight-piece lineup of unparalleled masters of vintage soul instrumentalists, the Dap-Kings may very well be the hardest-working band in music today. In addition to their tenure as studio players and touring members of several acts in Daptone’s stable, the Dap-Kings also lent their talents to DJ Mark Ronson’s superb 2007 release, “Version” (Columbia), as well as logging time with everybody’s favorite queen of rehab, Amy Winehouse. Not only did the band appear on several tracks on Winehouse’s critically acclaimed and Grammy nominated 2006 blockbuster, “Back to Black” (Island), they also accompanied Winehouse on her first U.S. tour.
Although their association with Winehouse undoubtedly did wonders to raise the Dap-Kings’ profile among mainstream music fans, their work with Jones – both in the studio and on the road – allows the band myriad opportunities to flex their musical muscles in the heart of their comfort zone. Jones, a vocal vixen with incredible range, belts out soul and funk numbers with Aretha-esque conviction. A perfect example of the “real deal” in a field jam-packed with pretenders, Jones stands out as a valid contender for Franklin’s “Queen of Soul” title.
Increasing the authenticity of the Dap-Kings’ profile as detail-obsessed purists, every title issued under the Daptone banner is recorded on traditional analog equipment. This antiquated practice is performed in strict adherence to the label’s devotion to producing a sound that evokes comparisons to soul’s golden age of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The results are nothing short of astounding. While many tech-obsessed engineers and producers regard the employment of a 16-track analog tape machine as an ill-advised step backwards in recording protocol, the manner in which the finished products perfectly captures the essence of a bygone era stands as testament to the method’s effectiveness.
Apparently not content to merely rely upon recording techniques to promote a more genuine product, the Dap-Kings keep it real with their choice of instruments as well. With few exceptions, all instruments featured on Daptone recordings as well as those played on Daptone related stage shows are meticulously preserved relics of the past, with most pieces dating back to the mid –1960s and earlier.
The crowning detail of the Dap-Kings dedication to preserving the sanctity of ‘60s soul lies in their overly impressive showmanship. From sharp matching suits to the choreographed moves performed in lock-step fashion amidst blaring brass and rumbling basslines, the Dap-Kings are consummate professionals on stage. Friday’s show is billed as a “Super Soul Revue” and it’s difficult to believe that Jones and the Dap-Kings will deliver anything less. Expect old-school style introductions of band members complete with grand entrances and solo fills.
Funk, R&B and soul are clearly more than genre tags to these guys – they’re a way of life, bringing with them the requisite customs, practices and mores espoused by all those who paved the way for the Dap-Kings. The reverence shared among bandmembers for all that is sacred in soul music is palpable when they’re tearing it up on stage.
The addition of the 11-piece Afrobeat orchestra Budos Band to this bill pushes Friday’s gig perilously close to epic territory. Put on your dancin’ shoes and get ready to be funked out to death. To paraphrase the words of another gang who knew a little something about funk themselves, ain’t no party like a Daptone party ‘cause a Daptone party don’t stop.
Photos: Dulce Pinzon
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