Before & After: Changes

Before - Black Sabbath

After - Charles Bradley w/the Budos Band

Take THAT cancer...Sharon Jones is back! New album & tour back on track, check out the new video

As mentioned back in June, Sharon Jones was diagnosed with stage-one bile duct cancer, which then forced Daptone Records to postpone the release of her new album as well as all the Dap-Kings' tour dates. As expected though, the good news is she's back following successful treatment, and a new release date has been set for her new album, Give The People What They Want, which is January 14, 2014. Sharon & company will begin touring again by rocking the stage at the Beacon Theater on February 6th. 

Here's a terrific video Daptone has released for “Retreat!” - the first single off of the new album:

Next Friday in Williamsburg: Daptone Super Soul Revue (for free!)

New single by The Impressions on Daptone!

Leave it to Daptone Records to release a new single by one of my all time favorite groups - The Impressions! I'm speechless. From the Daptone website:

What do you get when you cross the legendary group harmony of the Impressions, with the savvy production stylings of Daptone’s very own master of ceremonies and guitar dynamo, Binky Griptite?  Easy, you get one of the finest collaborations that has ever been realized onto 7 inches of high quality vinyl. Ladies and gentlemen we present to the greater Daptone Universe, the first single by The Impressions in over 30 Years.  Featuring original members, Fred Cash, Sam Gooden, as well as Reggie Torrian, who has been singing with the group since the early ‘70s – this single is the sweet soulful beauty you’d expect from the Impressions. No cheesy synthetic instruments or tryin-to-stay-contemporary 'beats' here. This is real soul music played by a real band and how sweet it is!

Pre-order here

Sharon Jones announces illness, new album is postponed (she'll be ok!)

This in from Daptone Records this morning. Here's to a speedy recovery, Sharon...You certainly have a lot of folks pulling for you. We love you! :

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings regret to announce that plans to tour and release their upcoming album in 2013 have been postponed.

Give The People What They Want will NOT be released on Aug 6, 2013 as previously scheduled.

Sharon Jones has been diagnosed with stage-one bile duct cancer, which has fortunately been discovered early and has not spread. It is expected that the immediate proposed surgical solution will lead to a full recovery, but because of its invasive and complex nature, will necessitate a rather lengthy convalescence.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings will be back before you know it, with a new release date and rescheduled tours worldwide.

Sharon would like her fans to know that she is anxious to get back on her feet, and that she is “down, but not out!”

“Over the last few weeks I haven’t felt good and I didn’t know what was going on. We sadly had to cancel shows while I went through a series of tests and short hospital stays. We just found out that I have a stage-one tumor on my bile duct. Luckily we caught it really early and fast and the doctors say it’s operable and curable!

I will be having surgery very soon and will have to rest and recover. I’ll be staying in touch and keeping my fans and friends updated on my progress. I’m looking forward to getting back on the road to give the people what they want!” -Sharon Jones 

Strictly Reserved For You: stream new Charles Bradley track from Daptone

As mentioned back in January, Daptone Records will be releasing a new album, Victim of Love, by Charles Bradley on April 2. "Strictly Reserved For You" is the first track to get an airing, and you can listen below.  

You can pre-order Victim of Love via iTunes "Instant Grat" and get the single, "Strictly Reserved for You," immediately. For all available formats (including vinyl, of course) go to the Daptone website.

Victim of Love: New Charles Bradley album gets released April 2

Just last night I was listening to the fantastic debut album by Mr. Bradley, and thinking, "I wonder when Daptone will be doing a new one?" Turns out I didn't have to wait long to find out. April 2 is the answer as they've just announced. The first single and tour dates are forthcoming. Keep your eyes here.

Seasonal Playlist: Strange Happenings Halloween Mix by Mikey "Custodian of Soul" Post

"Strange Happenings" Halloween Mix by Mikey "Custodian of Soul" Post by Daptone Records on Mixcloud

01. Strange Happenings - Rex Garvin

02. The Vampire - Jackie Edwards And The Soulmakers

03. Evil - Howlin’ Wolf

04. Watusi Zombie - Jan Davis

05. Tarantula - The Tarantulas

06. Dead - The Poets

07. The Munster Creep - The Munsters

08. Serpents And Spiders - The Valiants

09. Bo Meets The Monster - Bo Diddley

10. Witch's Boogaloo - The Sugarman 3

11. Frankenstein Walk - Gene Bowlegs

12. Grave Yard Creep - James Duhon

13. In The Hall Of The Mountain King - Sounds Inc.

14. El Scorpion - The Sherwoods

15. The Blob - The Zanies

16. Haunted House - Sam The Sham And The Pharoahs

17. The Ghost Hop - The Surfmen

18. Igor's Party - Tony And The Monstrosities

19. I’m Shakin’ - Little Willie John

20. Nervous - The Fabulous Playboys

21. Psycho Serenade - Big Jay Mcneeley

22. It’s Your Voodoo Working - Charles Sheffield

23. (Ghost) Riders In The Sky - The 4 Flares

24. The Witch - The Sonics

25. The House On Haunted Hill - Frank De Vol

26. I Hear Voices - Screaming Jay Hawkins

27. Fly Away With Me - Borris Pickett

28. The Lurch - Ted Cassidy

Daily Travels: Woodstock NY

Charles Bradley, Bearsville Theater, Woodstocok NY, 10.12.12

Bad Brains new album, Woodstock Film Fest, smoking herb with Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields(?) partaking of the sacred herb with HR of the Bad Brains back in the day.

The above candid shot was posted to the Flipside mag facebook page today, and it seemed as good a time as any to mention the new Bad Brains album. Into The Future, self produced by the band, will be released on Nov. 20 via Megaforce Records. If you want to check out the title track, you can do that here. The band are into their 35th year of existence.

In other news, the Woodstock Film Festival (Woodstock NY) will be screening Band In DC - about the Bad Brains, as well as Charles Bradley: Soul of America, about the Daptone Records very own Screaming Eagle of Soul.

Bad Brains - official website
Charles Bradley - official website

Charles Bradley doc trailer:

Bad Brains doc trailer:

A Closer Look At The Sugarman 3

Neil Sugarman sits down and tells you how he & his band got from there to here. From the early days of Desco Records to today and the Daptone Records empire he currently co-rules over. The Sugarman 3 band are back with a wonderful new album, What The World Needs Now, which you can check out at the links below. Do it now.

Sugarman 3 - Facebook
Daptone Records - official site



Here's one from the new joint -


Here's a classic from their second album (also available on 45, natch) -

New Video: Dr. John "Revolution" w/Dan Auerbach, Brian Olive & the Daptone gang

What The World Needs Now - a new Sugarman Three album!

For those of us who prefer the soul/funk/R&B/jazz thing, it came as good news this week that the Sugarman Three will be releasing their first album in about ten(!) years on May 15 via the Daptone label. Along with the new Lee Fields and Dr. John albums, this makes for a very nice trifecta indeed. Listen to & download a track from the album over at RollingStone.com, and order the album over at Daptone Records.

Lee Fields - Faithful Man now available

Available now on Truth & Soul Records. Buy on Amazon.

Lee Fields is a Faithful Man

Truth & Soul / Daptone funky stalwart, Lee Fields, has a new album coming May 13! Stream the entire thing at Rolling Stone right now! And get you tickets for the May 17 release show & party right here.

Thanks to Fleamarket Funk for the heads up.

Daily Travels - Hudson, NY

11.5.11 - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Club Helsinki, Hudson NY

Daptone Records 10 Year Anniversary Celebration

 

Time flies when you're having fun & making amazing records. It seems like only yesterday that Desco Records (Daptone's forerunner) was still a going concern while located on a crappy block west of Port Authority in Hell's Kitchen. Neal, Gabe, and the gang have come a long, long way...happy birthday, Daptone!

To celebrate, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (who else?) will be playing four very special shows here in NYC in December: December 6 & 7 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, and December 13 & 14 at the Bowery Ballroom. For complete information on the shows, including special ticket packages with merch and music, visit the special anniversary page at the Daptone website.

New years eve with Sharon Jones

The undisputed heavyweight champs of funk & soul, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, will be doing the holiday season in style this December with two sure-to-sell-out nights at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square on Dec. 30 and 31st.

Pre-sale tickets will be available to fans starting 10:00AM on Wednesday morning, Oct. 20. For Dec. 30 click here and for new years eve, Dec. 31, click here. The password for both is SJDK.

Tickets for the general public go on sale at 12 noon on Friday, Oct. 22.

Also, tomorrow night, IFC will be premiering The Game Gets Old: The Trilogy featuring videos for "I Learned the Hard Way", "If You Call" and the exclusive, "The Game Gets Old" directed by Philip Di Fiore.
Check out a behind-the-scenes look of The Game Gets Old: The Trilogy right here.

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - New Video

For my money, these guys are the best band on the planet right now. This is the first video for the title cut from their brand new album, I Learned the Hard Way. It looks really good popped out to full screen.

I Learned the Hard Way

Ain't it the truth? In case you're wondering what it may sound like, the new Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings album, I Learned the Hard Way, is now available to stream from NPR. It's out next week...I had pre-ordered mine (on vinyl and CD) so I got it a few days ago, and it's a winner. More of a mid-tempo to deep soul feel than past efforts, the amount of care & attention to detail that's put into Daptone releases is ridiculous.

Listen here.
Order direct from Daptone Records here.
Order from Amazon here.
Order at iTunes here.