Soul Power!

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights



Daptone Records flagship act Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings have appeared on the blog before, and I really dig what they do. I saw Sharon and company in Chicago after their first album, Dap-Dippin', came out and the sure soul power they produced knocked my socks off. Since then they have released another album, Naturally, which is a must-have for anyone who appreciates solid soul music, and a handful of singles. Their third Daptone album, 100 Days, 100 Nights, is going to drop on September 25, and the title track is worth mentioning today.

The entire 100 Days, 100 Nights album is a bit of a departure for Sharon and the group, as they cut back on the funk a little bit to focus on a straight-up soul sound. The title track, however, is an interesting hybrid of the two approaches. After a horn fanfare, "100 Days, 100 Nights" starts off with the group's standard groove, as Sharon lays out the song's premise. But after a little bit of this the band switches gears and over a more churchy, almost Five Royales kind of groove takes over and Sharon does her thing most effectively.

The kind folks over at World's Fair sent me a review copy of the album this week, and I tell you it is one of the most solid total albums I've heard since John Ciba's Sound of Birmingham comp from last year. Daptone Records has outdone itself this time!

If you are interested in the album, I encourage you to go over to World's Fair's Sharon Jones page to learn more about Sharon and the album and to stream two other cuts from the album ("Let Them Knock" is my absolute favorite from the album, and I'm sure it will be one of yours also), and then go to Daptone Records' website for release details and for the other great music from the label.