The Neo-soul movement has been making some real headway lately, and at the forefront has been Amy Winehouse, and her smash album Back to Black. Now Ms. Winehouse is a great singer and I love her album, but my favorite artist in this whole movement is Ms. Sharon Jones. She tours and releases albums under her name along with her backing band...Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. In fact, the Dap-Kings were the same band that was hired to record Back to Black for Amy Winehouse (produced by Track Nine fav Mark Ronson). That was a nice one-time thing, but Sharon Jones gets to take advantage of their soul all of the time.
100 Days, 100 Nights is the new album that was just released by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings just a few weeks ago. Get it. Now. If you are not bobbing your head and tapping your foot by the time you are 20 seconds in...you have negative soul. Her previous album, Naturally, is real solid as well, and either are a great introduction not only to Sharon Jones, but neo-soul if you haven't heard it, and hell, maybe it will get you into the old-school soul music that influences so much of what we listen to today.
'How Long Do I Have To Wait For You' is a track off of Naturally that begins with a drum break, then the horns kick in with a muted guitar rhythm that complements very well. From the first note you can tell that Sharon's voice hearkens back to the old soul singers that were so popular (see Inez Foxx, Clea Bradford perhaps...). Nobody's Baby' is a track off of the new album 100 Days, 100 Nights. It's a little more sultry than the first, as Sharon sings with a bit more sass, which suits her quite well. Just as catchy, just as good. The last track is called 'Be Easy' which has an off-beat feel to it. A bit more subdued than the first two, this is one to stroll along with on your iPod.
Hope you enjoy the soul!
-Kyle
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - How Long Do I Have To Wait For You
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Nobody's Baby
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Be Easy
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