Once again I am going to bring to you a different kind of indie music. I was surprised myself when I first heard the group and knew they were indie. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are a Funk/R&B/Soul with an indie label.
The group aims to capture the essence of funk/soul music as it was at its height in the mid-1960s to mid-1970s. They are so focused on doing so that they completely rid of modern digital recording methods in favor of using traditional analogue recording equipment. The type of instruments used by the band may also be considered limited to those that would have been available up until the mid-'70s.
The original incarnation of the band, the Soul Providers was formed in the mid nineties by Philip Lehman and Gabriel Roth AKA Bosco Mann. The Soul Providers began recording an album consisting of James Brown inspired instrumentals and vocal collaborations with Deep funk legend Lee Fields. It was during these sessions that Roth and Lehman discovered vocalist Sharon Jones after she recorded backing vocals for one of the Lee Fields tracks. Then in 2000, due to a growing difference of opinion, Lehman and Roth decided to go separate ways and both set up new labels.
The bands influences are James Brown, Eddie Bo, Lyn Collins, Marva Whitney, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Mahalia Jackson, The Meters. If you listen to a song, or moreover watch a music video-you can clearly see why and how those are their influences.
Now, the Brooklyn, New York located band, under their indie record label, are continuing with their idea of what great music is and staying strong against all those who call their ways primeval. I call it genius. The way they are taking music and completely abandoning all though of what music nowadays should be is incredibly intriguing.
You can learn more about them on their myspace page or at daptonerecords.com
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