SOUND CHECK.SHARON JONES Sharon Jones is an American soul/funk singer. Biography Born Sheron Lafaye Jones, on May 4 1956 in Augusta, Georgia, she moved to New York at an early age and lives there now, recording for independent Brooklyn based recording label Daptone Records. & THE DAP-KINGS: ``Naturally'' (Daptone) - Four stars If only Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. had a band half as good as this blazing Brooklyn, N.Y.-based funk/r&b horn revue's chops, material and knockout frontwoman. But few cities do - that's why the uncommonly wonderful Dap-Kings regularly sell out multiple nights at London's Jazz Cafe and elsewhere. Hailing from James Brown's hometown of Augusta, Ga., Jones has a sweet, smoky, church-fueled delivery that infuses every note with that rare ingredient those of us with long memories call soul. From the opening funky shuffle ``How Do I Let a Good Man Down?'' this outfit means business - and the gritty '60s and '70s grooves on display in 10 stirring tracks have absolutely nothing to do with what's passed off today as rhythm and blues rhythm and blues (R&B) Any of several closely related musical styles developed by African American artists. The various styles were based on a mingling of European influences with jazz rhythms and tonal inflections, particularly syncopation and the flatted blues chords. . Bold horns, tasteful piano, organ and vibes, and the Dap-Kings' road-tight rhythm section Noun 1. rhythm section - the section of a band or orchestra that plays percussion instruments percussion section, percussion section - a division of an orchestra containing all instruments of the same class build the perfect nest for the multifaceted Jones on such winners as ``Your Thing Is a Drag'' and ``My Man Is a Mean Man,'' while ``Natural Born Lover'' recalls beloved moments from the likes of Ann Peebles. A heartfelt, syncopated syn·co·pate tr.v. syn·co·pat·ed, syn·co·pat·ing, syn·co·pates 1. Grammar To shorten (a word) by syncope. 2. Music To modify (rhythm) by syncopation. reading of Woody Guthrie's ``This Land Is Your Land'' shouldn't work, but it does - beautifully. Dap-Kings note: Come soon, we need you! - Fred Shuster HERB ALPERT Herbert "Herb" Alpert (born March 31, 1935 in Los Angeles, California) is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass or as Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass or just TJB : ``Lost Treasures'' (Shout! Factory) - Three and one half stars Here's the jewel in the first wave of reissues of Alpert's 1960s recordings with the Tijuana Brass - 22 unissued songs, nicely selected and sequenced, recorded between 1962 and 1972. The breezy vibe of these easy grooves fits well into the classic Tijuana Brass sound, even on such unlikely covers as a gently funky version of James Taylor's ``Fire and Rain'' and the zippy run-through of the disco-era synth synth n. 1. Informal A synthesizer. 2. A style of light popular music made with synthesizers. Also called synth-pop. hit ``Popcorn.'' A godsend god·send n. Something wanted or needed that comes or happens unexpectedly. [Alteration of Middle English goddes sand, God's message : goddes, genitive of God, God for anyone who wore out their (or their parents') vinyl copy of ``Whipped Cream & Other Delights.'' - Glenn Whipp KIERAN McGEE: ``Anonymous'' (Stanton) - Three stars Now 23, McGee has been doing the roots-music thing for 10 years - performing at New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of clubs and cutting records the whole time. On this set, his voice is a perfect match for heartfelt originals about lost and foundered love. From sentimentality to anger, he's seemingly done a lot of living, and tunes like ``Faithless,'' ``Losing You Again'' and ``Hope'' could be manna manna (măn`ə), in the Bible, edible substance provided by God for the people of Israel in the wilderness. In the Book of Exodus it is compared to coriander seed and described as fine, white, and flaky, with the taste of honey and wafer. for gals disillusioned dis·il·lu·sion tr.v. dis·il·lu·sioned, dis·il·lu·sion·ing, dis·il·lu·sions To free or deprive of illusion. n. 1. The act of disenchanting. 2. The condition or fact of being disenchanted. with the likes of John Mayer. Catch Kieran in a rare local visit 8 p.m. Monday at Hollywood's Hotel Cafe. - Steven Rosenberg MARY GAUTHIER: ``Mercy Now'' (Lost Highway) - Three and one half stars Like fellow Louisianan Lucinda Williams (they also share album producer Gurf Morlix), Gauthier is a revelatory, bleeding-nerve singer-songwriter with a weathered voice and a knack for asphalt-burn poetry. But Gauthier (pronounced Go-shay) did not come to music until the age of 35, after a harrowing life of substance abuse, philosophy majoring and restaurant managing. Though her previous, independent release ``Filth & Fire'' rocked and cut its edge a little harder, ``Mercy'' doesn't skimp skimp v. skimped, skimp·ing, skimps v.tr. 1. To deal with hastily, carelessly, or with poor material: concentrated on reelection, skimping other matters. 2. on Gauthier's dark, dramatic insights into alienation and self-destruction, which she understands on both the intimate level and as it affects the culture at large. - Bob Strauss VARIOUS: ``Joni Mitchell: Artist's Choice'' (Hear Music) - Four stars JONI MITCHELL: ``Opus Collection'' (Hear Music) - Four stars Since she's given up performing and recording, Mitchell may want to take up spinning discs at a truly eclectic radio station (do they exist?). ``Artist's Choice'' is a lively collection of music that inspired the legendary songwriter during her long career. Though the album begins in a stately manner with Debussy's ``Claire de Lune'' and progresses into jazz with cuts by Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and Billie Holiday, Mitchell consistently throws in change-ups, including cuts by the electronica duo Deep Forest and the crank-up-the-volume ``You Get What You Give'' by the New Radicals. And rarely does Mitchell choose the obvious. ``Lonely Avenue'' by Ray Charles to Marvin Gaye's ``Trouble Man,'' into Bob Dylan's ``Sweetheart Like You ...'' make a killer trio. Mitchell's ``Opus'' set was chosen by friends like Dylan (``Free Man in Paris''), Elvis Costello (``For the Roses'') and Prince (``A Case of You''). Considering Mitchell's oeuvre, even they couldn't mess up. At Starbucks, Hearmusic stores and Hearmusic.com. - Rob Lowman CAPTION(S): 7 photos Photo: (1) no caption (Joni Mitchell) Lester Cohen/WireImage.com (2 -- 3) no caption (Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings) (4 -- 7) no caption (CD covers) |
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