Sharon Jones brings the funk.
This is not the kind of music you hear in Kentucky. This isn’t the kind of music you hear anywhere anymore.
I would have never considered myself to be a particular fan of soul music, but good dance music transcends all bounds. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings know how to make good dance music. It all seemed to flow so naturally out musically through the energy they put in to the actual performance of it. Or maybe the energy came from the music. It was hard to tell. It didn’t matter.
The story of Sharon Jones is a beautiful one. She was born in 1956 in Georgia listening to the deep south sounds of soul such as James Brown & singing gospel in church. Everyone always knew she had the voice, but she was told that she didn’t have the look and that she was “too dark-skinned, too short, too fat and too old.” She never stopped singing, but wasn’t able to do it full time, instead becoming a security guard on Riker’s Island at the Maximum Security Penitentiary in New York.
I hate that she had such a difficult life, and it embarrasses me that image is still so important as it is in the entertainment industry. Nevertheless, Sharon persisted, and eventually caught of some important people after singing back-up for Lee Fields.
Sharon was eventually helped to create Daptone Records as the label grew. Years later she came to Louisville. What amazed me about this show was that this was music I could share with my father. I mean that slightly metaphorically because my father actually likes a lot of my music, but this show included every age group from 18 to people in their 50s or 60s, and I imagine many brokenhearted kids under 18. I guess that’s not too much of a surprise when Sharon herself is 51 (going on 23). But who would ever imagine a soul/funk show selling Headliners completely out? I met kids from St. Louis who drove the 4-5 hours because the show had sold out there at a much smaller venue. They drove all that distance thinking no way would a venue of over 700 capacity would sell out. Fortunately it did only after they got their tickets at the door. Soul music selling out Headliners in Louisville, KY? Simply amazing.
Sharon has a sort of energy that simply blows the mind. She was so interactive with the crowd, bringing 7 different fans on stage at different times through the show. The last guy to get up on the stage actually rapped during the performance until Sharon playfully ripped the mic away from him & rapped back. It was simple, but awesome to hear.
Not to mention how many songs they played. I didn’t recognize many of them, but she didn’t even come out on stage herself for the first three. But when she did….Lord, did that woman have soul! And she knows how to dance. She went wild on stage & had to get of her shoes because they were slowing her down. For a while Sharon seemed to get agitated with the sound crew at Headliners, but you could tell she really enjoyed playing this Louisville show. She was smiling most of the time that she wasn’t incredibly intense. How many shows do you think they’ve had a member from the crowd rap at the show? It was all really incredible.
She also told us a little story in song form about her ancestry…about her African ancestors being put in chains and being brought to America. Then she told us about her Indian ancestors being forced off their lands. Then came Sharon Jones.
Sharon has something special. She is a beautiful person who makes beautiful music with unparalleled energy since James Brown has begun to rest in peace. No pictures can do the show justice because to understand this woman or her music, you need to see her dance and see those legs move. I’ve danced more in the last week than I think I have in my entire life.
For the Setlist & pictures,
Setlist:
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Baby When I See You
Out on the Dance Floor
I’m Not Gonna Cry
How Do I Let a Good Man Down?
Your Attention
If it Feels Good
Bring it Up
Got to be the Way it is
Let Them Knock
Nobody’s Baby
Be Easy
Once I Had a Good Man
100 Days, 100 Nights
My Man is a Mean Man
My Love
Genuine
Instrumental
It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World (James Brown)
There was a time (Gene Chandler)
finally Sharon Joined us
on “Bring it Up” Sharon brought up some kidsd from the Audience
and they got a little freaky
then her shoes inhibited her dancing feet, so they came off
i felt a few black and white images were appropriate because of the old style of music
for “Genuine” Sharon brought up more kids from the crowd
I only posted those pictures I couldn’t not post on here…if you’d like to see some more, visit my Picassa Web Album. Also, there you can get the images in full size.
