Sharon Jones

Concert Review: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, June 6, Massey Hall

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Wini Lo in Concerts | Leave a comment

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

There’s one word to describe Sharon Jones and it is this: LEGEND. After cancelling her tour last year for cancer treatment, this Massey Hall show felt extra triumphant and jubilant.

As a vocal powerhouse and charismatic frontwoman, Jones was the star of the show. But that isn’t to say that The Dap-Kings are just a backing band. A collective of talent themselves, the band opened and closed the show without Jones on the mic, and roused the crowd to their feet.

Supporting their latest release, Give the People What They Want (which was also delayed due to Jones’ illness. It was released January 2014), Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings performed cuts from that album, including “Retreat!,” “Making Up and Breaking Up,” “People Don’t Get What They Deserve” and “Get Up and Get Out,” though slightly different than the album’s version. Jones explained that they would “start it off slow and then take it a bit faster.”

The high-energy show included Jones inviting audience members up to the stage to dance with her on multiple occasions. There was also an extended musical breakdown during “People Don’t Get What They Deserve,” where Jones exuberantly demonstrated different dance moves from the 60’s before introducing each member of the Dap-Kings.

In a tender moment, Jones told the audience how grateful she was for their support, talking about her bout with cancer and beating it, and her friends and family’s concern for her eagerness to get back on tour so soon after her recovery. The cheers were loud and sincere when Jones proclaimed she was now cancer-free, and that she knew she had to get back out there, for her fans.

Song of the Day: Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings:

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Celeste in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

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This was recently written about Ms. Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings:

“She pulls her notes up at the end, like a person endorsing a check for $1 million and then throwing the pen on the floor.”

Source: http://www.emusic.com/music-news/interview/sharon-jones-interview/

That’s pretty much all I need to know about a musician to be smitten. I mean honestly. Will that ever be written about you? When I write I check, double check, and then triple check the amount, carefully unclick the pen and put it back in my pen holder. Needless to say, that sentence will never be written about me.

Just watch her video for “Retreat!” from her latest album, “Give the People What They Want” (such a fantastic title.) It includes a strong female lead and a sparkly dress so fabulous that it can repel wolves. Doubly smitten.

SXSW Primer: Sharon Jones

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Mark in Everything, South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Toronto – Brooklyn’s own soul queen Sharon Jones has been hard at work on her fourth album I Learned The Hard Way. It is scheduled for release on April 6th. The Panic Manual is no stranger to covering Sharon Jones and her soul revivalist band, the Dap-Kings. She will be performing several shows at SXSW, and this will be a great opportunity for funk and soul enthusiasts to get a preview of her latest efforts and those of bassist Bosco Mann.

I will be the first to admit that I have a bit of a man crush on Bosco. He’s the understated mastermind of the Dap-Kings; receiving writing credits for most of the material in addition to being the unspoken ring-leader during live performances. The Panic Manual has reviewed Sharon Jones’ last two Toronto shows, at both the Toronto jazz festival, and the Kool Haus. In both reviews I specifically gush about Bosco like a 15 year old girl. What can I say? If I was a professional musician, I’d want to be making the kind of music Bosco does, and pairing it with the set of pipes that Sharon Jones has.

The CD release party will be happening at New York’s legendary Apollo Theater on April 30. After the first show sold out, a second date for May 1 has just been announced. Sharon Jones also plays Toronto’s Sound Academy on May 25th.

Her SXSW schedule is:

Wed Night (3/17) – NPR Showcase @ Stubbs, 9:45pm
Thursday Afternoon (3/18) – Billions / Ticketfly Day Party @ The Mohawk, 2:50pm
Friday Afternoon (3/19) – Spin Day Party @ Stubbs, 3:10pm
Friday Night (3/19) – AOL Showcase @ the Austin Music Hall, 11:30pm

TO Jazz Review: Sharon Jones, Nathan Phillips, June 26

Posted on June 28, 2009 by Mark in Concerts, Toronto Jazz Festival | 2 Comments

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Toronto – After last Friday night’s Sonny Rollins show, I decided to high-tail it over to Toronto Jazz Festival headquarters at Nathan Phillips Square to check in on Sharon Jones. Thankfully I was able to catch the last half of the set. Even though Sharon is appearing on Day 1 of the festival, it was apparent from the packed tent of happy dancers that this show was going to be a festival highlight.

It’s clear from the crowd that Sharon and her Dap-Kings were able to strike a resonant chord with her impressive pipes, her effervescent stage presence, and a top-notch band that knows how to will a crowd to their feet.

Sharon Jones was in Toronto last October promoting her latest album 100 Days, 100 Nights. It was a fun show (coverage here), but the less then stellar venue that is the Kool Haus limited her audience to die-hard soul fans that were already familiar with her work. Thankfully, Sharon Jones really got the opportunity to stretch her legs in front of a larger and uninitiated audience at the jazz fest. This included a whole gaggle of people just outside of the main tent soaking up some of Sharon’s crazy energetic stage presence for the first time.

Sharon Jones

Sharon is backed by the Dap-Kings, a tight group of old-school soul & funk revivalists. The ringleader is the understated and cool Bosco Mann, the bassist behind the scenes that keeps things funky. This band produces a consistent and driving funk sound that will keep people happily dancing for hours. One highlight for many was Sharon’s tribute to Michael Jackson with a rendition of I Want You Back.

Since I didn’t cover the entire show, I’m not going to rate this one. However, it’s clear from the crowd that Sharon and her Dap-Kings were able to strike a resonant chord with her impressive pipes, her effervescent stage presence, and a top-notch band that knows how to will a crowd to their feet.