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SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

~ Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

Tag Archives: sharon jones and the dap kings

Music Is The Sweetest Hangover

12 Thursday Jun 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

bilal, black thought, esperanza spalding, everything in it's right place, j davey, janelle monae, randy watson experience, sharon jones and the dap kings, the roots, the roots concert on festival pier, the roots jam session, the roots performing you got me live, the roots picnic

by vivrant thang music hangover

And hungover is just how I feel!

I hope everyone plans to take in some great live soul music during Black Music Month (even though every month is Black music month for your girl – but whatever). I probably celebrated enough this last weekend to last me all month. It’s taken me all week to get myself back together. I’m officially in my thirties now. Just can’t do it like I used to.

As I mentioned in my ode to underrated Philly soul singers, I spent the weekend in The City of Brotherly Love partaking in Roots Picnic festivities. However, before I made it up there, I had to see my man Bilal in Baltimore where he opened their Jazzy Summer Night music series. I know this may shock and surprise some of you, but I have to say it was a less than stellar performance. I don’t blame him though. I imagine that 80% of the crowd didn’t even know who he was. It was a nice night out and it was free – that’s all they knew. They were giving him absolutely no energy. B, if you’re listening, cancel that appearance at the African American Heritage Festival. Bmore doesn’t appreciate you. Come on down the road to DC. We act like we know!

Early the next morning, me and my fellow music stan / road dawg headed up 95 North and barely had a moment to throw down on our rib dinner before we headed out to TLA for the Pre-Picnic Jam Session. Another nice Philly music venue. DC, get your shit together, please!

I was annoyed that I wasn’t posted up at the very front – because of course I should have that right at every show. However when we pulled up to the South Street venue and saw the line wrapped clear around the corner, I wondered if I would even make it inside before the show started. Finding parking in Philly is worse than DC. Luckily, once I did get in line, everything moved quickly and was very organized. Kudos to whoever chose this venue.

The energy was high from the moment the first act to took the stage and remained that way – as there was little to no delay between artists. More kudos on that format. Artists of note that performed were Tu Phace, Dice Raw, Santogold, Janelle Monae, The Randy Watson Experience featuring Bilal, and of course the legendary Roots.

One of the things that attracted me to these two events was the diverse music styles represented in the lineup – which drew an equally eclectic crowd. Ya’ll know I’m soul music head all day but I also know I’m missing out on some good stuff that might fall outside that box. Nothing wrong with rocking out sometimes. My wild curly mop actually lends itself to that genre quite well.

That night I particularly fell in love with Santogold aka “Ms. Jaleesa Vincent.” Her music is described as punk rock or ska – which I never saw myself taking an interest in. Apparently I was late to the party because the crowd couldn’t get enough of her. She was originally supposed to perform at the Picnic the next day but had to bow out due to a scheduling conflict. I am so glad I caught the jam session or I would have surely missed out.

Here are two of my favorites from her:

Unstoppable

Creator

Janelle Monae has been on my radar for a while but I never really gave her a listen. When I heard she signed with Bad Boy, my side eye exploded. Not quite sure what will happen to her there but I will say that I love her voice and her live performance will certainly hold your attention.

Violet Stars

You should already be familiar with The Randy Watson Experience. A very high (on life that is) Bilal joined them for a couple of songs, including “Everything In It’s Right Place.”

The Roots were…well, the legendary Roots. They do what they do and they always deliver. Black Thought can do no wrong in my book. He has my vote hands down for the dopest MC out right now (make sure you cast yours too!).

You Got Me

Rocking out to Jungle Boogie / Band Solos

The next morning, someone had definitely turned the oven on outside. The venue didn’t allow folks to bring in chairs or much of anything besides a bottle of water. We had complained about that all the way up the road so I was resigned to it just toughing it out and hanging in there as best I could. Turns out I also had to go it alone as my road dawg had a mishap and eventually ended up in the ER (long story).

Fortunately we were staying about a mile up the road but the heat made it seem like 20 miles. I slowly made my way down Purgatory Lane and arrived just as The Roots were taking the stage for the first time. Their sets were interspersed throughout the lineup which included Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Esperanza Spalding, J*DaVeY, The Cool Kids, and Gnarls Barkley. Diplo and Deerhoff also performed but I didn’t check them out. It was also nice to see DC artist Muhsinah performing on the smaller stage as well. Lots of different sounds represented – which of course drew a very large, diverse crowd.

As hot as it was, the energy stayed high. These were some serious music lovers I was hanging with. I was surprised at how people largely stayed pretty congenial throughout the day. Personally, the sun was whooping my ass and the angry black woman came out in full effect. I would have been much more pleasant had I been able to sit my tail down and chill with some decent food and libations – like I did on Sunday at the Capital Jazz Fest (check for a review of that in an upcoming post). Hopefully the feedback we gave on OKayPlayer will translate into a different venue for next year. While I did enjoy being out on the water, I felt not a hint of summer breeze to make me feel fine.

Let’s get to the music.

You already know how much I heart Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings. It was my second time seeing them and as usual Sharon was one sanging, entertaining ball of energy – even in the heat! I love the way Quest introduced them by saying they were around long before Amy Wino and her Back to Black album were even thought about. And I would bet the farm that they will be around long after Amy is gone.

Esperanza Spalding is a name you should watch out for. Little woman with a big bass – and a big fro. I loved the way she connected with the crowd and jazz lovers should definitely be digging her sound.

Check out Body and Soul

I’ve been feeling J*DaVeY for a minute and have been (im)patiently waiting for them to bless DC with another live set or two. They finally stopped off here for a what I hear was a hot show before heading up to the Picnic. One of the best descriptions of their music I’ve seen has been “punk funk.”

The duo is being heralded as a cross between Prince and the B-52s, with traces of funk, surf, and soul fused together into its own unique recipe. Read more.

Prince and the B-52s?! That’s saying a lot! Keep your eye on this duo ya’ll. This is real music.

Slooow

Fast Auto

Just a little taste of what I experienced this weekend. I’m still uploading video, which is part of the reason I’ve been away so long. It’s tiring work. There’s other videos from this show on my YouTube channel and I’ll be uploading more daily. So be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss out.

It was also really cool to run into one of my readers who I originally met at Bilal’s last DC performance. What they say about birds of a feather?

At the end of the day, as dramatic as the weekend was and despite the fact that I had to leave before Gnarls Barkley or I would have faded to black right there in front of the stage, I can say I was at the first ever Roots Picnic – as I’m sure they plan to make this an annual event. How cool is that!

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My Favorite Things: Underrated Female Soul Singers

25 Tuesday Mar 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Underrated Artist Spotlights

≈ 39 Comments

Tags

algebra blessett, brown baby girl, carol riddick, choklate, conya doss, d'nell, deborah bond, female neo soul artists, goapele, hil st soul, jaguar wright, joi, joy denalane, ledisi, leela james, lina, liv warfield, lizz fields, lizz wright, marie tweek, n'dambi, sharon jones and the dap kings, stephanie mckay, sy smith, teedra moses, trina broussard, underrated artists, underrated female soul singers, vivian green, yazarah

ndambi.jpg

 

Once again, this is not the post I planned for today.  However, this is probably a good way to round out Women’s History Month. Normally, I would give ya’ll some rudimentary collage of pictures and some videos. I just don’t have it in me today.

I am coming down with a case of the nasties and I can tell it’s going to be a bad one if I don’t nip it in the bud. I don’t even know if getting that ‘Tussin down in it is going to work. Ya’ll pray that it does. A sista is on the move. I got a date with Sy Smith tomorrow night and will be up in NYC this weekend enjoying Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The show has got to go on.

I came up with the idea for this post while riding home today, berating myself for the fleeting thought I had last week that it would be “nice” if I got sick again like I did a couple of years ago when I lost 12lbs in three days.  I couldn’t hold anythingon my stomach, not even water. Folks, be very careful what you let enter your mind.  Lizz Fields’ excellent album, By Day, By Nightwas caressing my ears and I got to thinking about how I wish I could hear more of the soul sistas (and brothers) with true talent on the radio instead of the bs they play fifty eleven times a day.

I don’t have the energy for that rant.

Anyhow, here’s a list of female soul singers that I enjoy. Not an exhaustive list BY ANY MEANS. It’s just what I captured from the ‘pod and my Myspace friends list. I didn’t even go through my cd’s. We would have been here all night!

  • Alison Carney
    myspace
  • Algebra Blessett
    myspace | ‘Behind the Groove’ interview
  • Angela Johnson
    myspace
  • Ashley Phillips
    website | myspace
  • Brown Baby Girl (female member)
    website | myspace
  • Carol Riddick
    website | myspace | interview on Honeysoul
  • Choklate
    website | myspace | interview on Honeysoul
  • Conya Doss
    website | myspace | interview on Honeysoul
  • Deborah Bond
    website | myspace
  • D’Nell (female member)
    website | myspace
  • Goapele
    website | myspace | interview with Honeysoul | “Closer” post
  • Hil St Soul (new album hit stores 4/29!!!)
    myspace
  • Jaguar Wright
    website | myspace
  • Jean Baylor
    website | myspace
  • Joy Denalane
    website | myspace | interview on Honeysoul
  • Joi
    website | myspace | interview on Honeysoul
  • Ledisi
    website | myspace |interview on Soul Bounce | “Take Time” post
  • Leela James
    website | myspace
  • Leigh Jones
    website | myspace
  • Lina
    website | myspace
  • Lizz Fields
    website | myspace
  • Lizz Wright
    website | myspace
  • Liv Warfield
    website | myspace
  • Marie Tweek
    myspace
  • N’Dambi (the beautiful inspiration for my profile pic)
    website | myspace
  • Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
    website | myspace | concert review
  • Stephanie McKay
    website | myspace
  • Sy Smith
    website | myspace | interview on honeysoul
  • Teedra Moses
    website | myspace | concert review | “Cut Buddy” or “Celibacy Blues” post
  • Trina Broussard
    website | myspace
  • Wayna
    website | myspace
  • Vivian Green
    website | myspace | “Affected” post 
  • Yazarah 
    myspace | concert review

If you haven’t already, get into these artists. Purchase their albums. Support real music.

Again, this is not the list. It’s my list and it’s not exhaustive, by any means. Please feel free to add your favorite underrated female soul singers in the comments. I am always looking for new inspiration. Look out for more posts using songs from artists like these.

If you want to gain a deeper appreciation for these and other non-mainstream artists, check are some of the sites on my blogroll. They help me stay “woke.”

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Sharon, I Got a Jones for You! : A Concert Review

25 Friday Jan 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

100 days 100 nights, amy winehouse, daptone records, sharon jones, sharon jones and the dap kings

sharon2.jpg

Ya’ll should know by now that I’m a lover, not a fighter. Not because I’m all sensitive and shit. I am afraid that if I actually get into a fight, I will end up seriously maiming or killing someone. Seriously. So it’s taken me a week to recover my sensibilities enough to write this review – as I have never attended a show where I literally almost caught two cases and had to be rescued by an artist in the midst of a performance!

Before I get to the drama, let me focus on the music because that’s what’s important here. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings are nothing to play with. This is true grown folks music. This music harkens back to a period when lyrics were saying something. Back to the days when our parents were grinding under that blue light during those basement house parties. The Evans clan would probably have thrown on music like this during a rent party for a down-on-their luck neighbor.  This is the ‘music’ that Leela James and the Brand New Heavies yearn for. Let’s go back to the days…indeed.

From the moment the Dap-Kings took the stage to get things warmed up, I knew we were in for a funky good time. I think you’ll agree.

dap_kings.jpg

New music, “One Time”

That Binky Griptite is one cool cat.

Before she even took the stage, we felt Sharon’s presence.

sharon_jones_shoes.jpg

They say you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. Those shoes let me that she was about to take that stage, kicking ass and taking names! Hell no, Amy CrackWinehouse ain’t got nothing on her. If this industry made sense, their names wouldn’t even be mentioned in the same sentence.  I’ve seen Amy sing and while her voice is amazing, she doesn’t perform. It’s like watching the polish dry on my toes. She doesn’t command the stage like Sharon does. She connected with each and every member of that audience (especially me, but we’ll get back to that later). That’s not a skill many artists master. I certainly hope  now that Amy has said “yes, yes, yes” to rehab, she’ll come out of her crack-induced walking slumber and really get back to the business of music.  Because we need more artists reminding us of how it used to be and can still be if we support this kind of music. Meantime Amy, Sharon got this.

sharonjones.jpg

Not Gonna Cry

Check out those moves and the crowd reaction. They love her.

How Do I Keep A Good Man Down (Claudehamercy!)

I love how Sharon engages the audience and even when they get foolish with their antics, she still commands her stage. All eyes are still on her, even as she makes them feel like they are the star for that moment they are up there.

Keep On Looking

Tell Me (one of my faves)

As you can see from some of the videos here and over on my YouTube channel, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings draw a very diverse crowd. Because of the music I like, the crowd tends to mostly be my people…or your people, depending on how they acting because I don’t claim them everyday (this means you, Kwame Kilpatrick and your “Negro Nonsense”). I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show at a spot like the Black Cat where I was rocking with white men of Social Security-collecting age. This was a new one on your girl.

Anyhow, I’ve been joking for the longest that I need to diversify my friendship portfolio a bit and get some white friends. My black female co-worker has white friends whose parents have beach houses. They got tickets to the games. Become one of the family and you might get a piece of that. However, by the end of the show I had completely changed my mind.

Some white folks do not know how to handle their liquor.  I knew this, but it had never affected me before. The venue makes some extremely strong drinks. I’m a drinker and I’m one and done there for the most part. They don’t know nothing about one and done. So these folks were lit by the time the show started. And of course, they get real happy and want to dance and carry on and they have no regard for who is around them. They feel like you should be lit right along with them. Party on dude!

I vote no.

So that was the beginning of my rough night. They were “dancing” wildly and bumping into me to the point that I was being shoved into the person next to me…while I was holding my precious camera. Remember, I’m a lover not a fighter so I tried several approaches before I completely lost it and and pushed back…harder. They were too drunk to really notice.

Once things had calmed down a bit, I felt another shoving match begin. I’m in the very front and getting shoved against the stage. I turn around to see this crass little number complaining that she couldn’t see and trying to force her way to the front by pushing against anybody ahead of her. By this time, like Latifah, I had it up to here and she was about to catch a bad one. I let her know as much and of course she starts to pop off at the mouth. I glanced up at the stage, as I knew the situation was disrupting the show. Binky Griptite shook his head and gave me a “let it go” look.

Sharon Jones to the rescueeeee!

She comes over and pulls the chick on the stage with her, telling her she can’t be doing all that pushing and shoving. Sharon knew me against her would have been as simple as me stomping on a pesky roach. And yes, this chick was black…ya’ll can claim that mess.

Nobody’s Baby

So after all I had been through, I was trying to just get through the rest of show without conflict. I was capturing 100 Days, 100 Nights when I felt someone grip my shoulder rather roughly. I didn’t turn around at first because I’m serious about my video. DON’T interrupt me. The tugging became more insistent but the crew around me was also getting wild again so I wasn’t sure what it was. I didn’t turn around at first. When I did, briefly, it was one of the staff commanding me to stop taping.

WTF?

Mind you, I had been standing in front of the stage taping practically every song. This was my fifty eleventh time at the Black Cat, where I always record just about every song. There was no sign prohibiting video. There never is. This same man had actually come around before the show started and told us no flash photography, which I had complied with. I admit I was probably in the wrong, but I ignored him. The song was ending and I was not to be cut off in the middle, particularly since this whole thing didn’t make sense and there were other people recording.

He kept tugging on my shoulder for the next few seconds, finally telling me to come with him. I was not moving. I told him it was not happening. I had paid for my ticket and there was no signage that indicated I couldn’t record. I had been recording the whole show and I wasn’t new to the Black Cat experience. He didn’t care and kept commanding me to come with him or I would be “thrown out.” At this point, I figured out that someone had complained to him and he was moving me from the front. I was not having it. I told him I wasn’t going anywhere, as I felt that familiar rage building inside of me. I was literally two seconds off his ass. Seriously.

I have a history of sassing white men. Once, I roughly shoved a man who pushed me aside to get his luggage from the carousel at the airport. We hadn’t said a word to each other. He pushed, I pushed back…harder. Sorry, I exist.  Had he complained, I would likely have ended up like Miss Sophia, sitting up in DC jail damn near bout to rot to death. So I turned away from the Black Cat errand boy to get my composure and there she was again.

Sharon Jones to the rescueeee!

She was trying to perform and had to save me from “The Man.” Thankfully, he disappeared.

Despite my harrowing experience, which marred my enjoyment of the show slightly, I will never miss Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings when they come to town. I will have to meditate all day before I go, but I can’t stay away. I got a jones for Miss Jones and those Dap Kings are the truth. I look forward to all the beautiful music they’ll make together.

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