Dan's Papers - August 15, 2008 - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at WHBPAC

At a time when England is heralded as the center of a neo-soul revival, with the likes of Amy Winehouse and Duffy heating up the charts, many people don't realize that movement was actually started by an artist born on American soil - Sharon Jones, backed by the Dap-Kings, who will be performing at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Saturday, August 16.

"Guess what?" said Jones, who grew up in Brooklyn and, at 52, is finally getting the recognition she deserves, with her recent catchy soul song "100 Days, 100 Nights" getting stuck in the heads of many. "We started this stuff over in Europe. But it's ok, because it all boils back down to me and the Dap-Kings."

After spending most of her life working random jobs - as a corrections officer on Riker's Island, a security guard, at a message/copy center - Jones is enjoying a mid-life career in music. While working at these mundane jobs, she moonlighted as a wedding singer and back-up vocalist for a variety of session work. In 1996, she finally got her break with Desco Records, a small independent label. At the time, Jones was in her early 40s.

"The reason for my late start is that I was always told I didn't have the look," Jones said. "I was too dark skinned, too fat, too short. Then after I was 25, I was too old. It just made it a little harder for me. It only held me back a little though. I mean, I'd appreciate if this happened in my 30s maybe, but now I'm 52 and I'm just really starting."

Performing with Desco's house band, the Soul Providers, Jones earned a reputation for a great live show. When Desco went under in 2000, she and several members of the Soul Providers went on to form Daptone Records and the Dap-Kings. Jones and the Dap-Kings took up residency in a Barcelona club and they began touring extensively, growing a reputation in Europe. Producer Mark Ronson even took notice, bringing in the Dap-Kings to record and to perform with Winehouse and magazines across Europe dubbed Jones the "Queen of Funk."

Now, with the release of their latest album, 100 Days, 100 Nights, and the single of the same name, Jones is slowly starting to get the recognition she deserves in America. "I just do my thing," she said. "Now in the states, and now that we're about to be going south, we're getting a little bit more recognized. In Europe, people accept it so much more over there than in the States."

Still, things are definitely happening for Jones, who is non-stop touring, even making an appearance at Lollapalooza in Chicago, one of the most well known music festivals in the country. She also performed with Lou Reed's operatic production of his album Berlin, which was released on DVD. "What do me and Lou Reed have in common?" she said. "Nothing! But it worked. I guess opposites attract." She then turned down touring in Europe with Lou Reed to take a small role in The Great Debaters with Denzel Washington, and contributed six songs to the soundtrack.

"I love it all," Jones said. "I love it even more than the guys in the band. It's a blessing right now how we are. As long as God's blessing me, I'm going to keep going."

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will be performing at the PAC on Saturday, August 16 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $75/$60/$45 and can be purchased at whbpac.org or by calling the box office at 631-288-1500. For more information on Jones and the Dap-Kings, go to www.daptonerecords.com/sharonjonesandthedapkings.html.