Sharon Jones
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the notes of the soundtrack of Up In The Air is that if that day in 1996 to record Soul to Tequila la Pure Records si fosse presentato il corista che era stato invitato a supportare i Soul Providers e Lee Fields il film inizierebbe in maniera diversa ed oggi avremmo una star in meno nel firmamento della black popular music. E' facile lasciarsi trasportare dalla musica mentre le immagini del film scorrono lente. Sono le note di This Land Is Your Land su un'inquadratura che scivola via tra un paesaggio ripreso dall'alto che sfuma tra nuvole e cielo. Il film è poca cosa ed è difficile mantenere viva l'attenzione con Clooney che fa il belloccio, sempre in viaggio e senza casa, e, alla fine, ciò che resta scolpita nella memoria è la splendida voce, calda e sensuale, di Sharon Jones ascoltata sulle prime immagini del film.
Sharon Jones, the stage name of Sharon Lafaye, at the age of 54 years - was born in Atlanta (the city of JB) in 1956 - is now a major star and his life can be as an example of the American dream. In fact, after years of experience in pubs, clubs, recording sessions, the years when she heard that, "... my body did not fall within the canons of popular black music. I was told I was too short and fat, I did not fit the look and advised me to clear my skin ... "it took the extraordinary insight Philiph Lehman and Gabriel Roth, band leaders of the Soul Providers, who are affected by the presence scenic Sharon's voice, included in the traces Soul Tequila "Swithchblade" and "The Owner" on behalf of one Sharon. From this moment on, Mrs. Sharon Lafaye, security guard for Wells Fargo Bank and prison guard institute correction Rikers Island, gave way to Sharon Jones.
The choice of stage name was dictated by the reasoning that Gabriel Roth aka Bosco Mann and Sharon did. It was necessary to start with a broad-based campaign aimed at highlighting the history of Jones. In today's society where image is everything to have a great voice is not enough, you need to get something else. Sharon and his years and its reality and its history were there on a silver platter, served and ready. The idea was to bring to American black music artist of the old school, away from the image all over her ass and tits and alluring faces of the rising stars of the show biz contemporary artist who for years had "every American" and that coming out of the past came to fame. A "Jones" to be exact. However, this was not enough: we needed a record company willing to invest in the project and a band that can produce the right sound.
After starting a recording project with Lehman (the Desco Records, with a catalog that included Daktaris, Lee Fields, Naomi Davis, Sugarman 3 ...), Roth began his new musical adventure with Neal Sugarman, saxophonist and leader of the Sugarman 3, Daptone Records, where he founded the merged former Soul Providers Binky Griptite - guitar, Earl Maxton - organ, Anda Szilagly - trumpet, Fernando Velez - percussion as well as Leon Michels and Homer Steinwess-sax - drums to create the Dap - Kings. The band was, according to the ideas of Bosco Mann, the base, with a black sound, with clear references to the golden age (the 60s and 70s), all of the Daptone musical productions.
The first disc in 2002, was Dap Dippin 'With Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings, whose best-known track is Walk Box. The cover is black with the top in yellow and Sharon Jones Dap - Kings, written in slightly smaller sizes, in blue. On the right a picture of Sharon with red sheath dress as she sings.
The album was a success and gave voice to Sharon's first compilations and the first operations in television and participation in festivals.
followed Naturally, in 2005, This Land Is Your Land, and 100 Days, 100 Nights, in 2007, both examples of soul, funk-style golden era of black music.
The work's image Daptone continue focusing on simplicity and ability to communicate the voice of Jones. Naturally it is presented with a black cover, which features the name of Sharon Jones in red, top right, and that of the Dap - Kings, always in a graphic smaller, yellow. The title of the disc is in the characters outlined in white and blacks Sharon, this time to the left of the image, is sitting in profile on a chair in the same red used to write his name while looking at a yellow light Dap-Kings. Behind a window that sheds light and illuminates the cover. A bit 'to signify the start of something bright. Moreover, the knowability of Jones had not yet reached the desired levels and focus on his face was not a good choice of communication. The reports cover notes and videos, listen to calls, and the hard, frankly, does not disappoint, in fact, surprisingly favorably.
100 Days, 100 Nights is, in terms of image, a change in trend, fuzzy orange cover to the center where Sharon Jones, with a sheath dress and gold sandals with heels, hands on thighs , outward-looking curiosity and teases. The name is grayed out, the title in two colors and the songs are shown on the right of the frontpage. It is a change in the image and communication with the Dap Sharon: the face and figure are known and music Well, it's special, full and full of emotions. The cover refers to the golden era of black music and the call is confirmed by the black and white video of 100 Days, 100 Night centers on Sharon Jones and the Dap - Kings with images that derive from TV revivals of the late 50.
attention to Sharon, however, is left to the covers and discs. While the Dap - Kings play for Amy Winehouse and Al Green, Jones is in the Dave Letterman Show, a film by Denzel Washington, discs of David Byrne, Fatboy Slim, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Rufus Wainwright and Robbie Williams, and compilation soul funk of his songs are hoarding. Are the effects of success.
In Here Lies Love, for example, hard play by Byrne, Jones is one of the voices with which the former Talking Heads does talk and sing during one of Imelda Marcos in New York of travel Studio 54, where the venue's Heads teased with their songs. During these travels, Imelda, laughs, smiles and cries and Sharon interprets to perfection. And 'the effect of a voice that goes straight to the heart as joy or sadness on the face of a child and the fans, realize it. Just go to a concert to see this. Music that pulls the emotions and brings a dance, to smile, to cry with joy.
Nella musica della Jones il supporto dei Dap – Kings è fondamentale. Ogni loro costruzione è uno spettacolo per l'ascoltatore: misurati e sfavillanti, fantasioni e disciplinati e mai – dico mai – si scopre uno strumento che copre gli altri. Ogni pezzo è una costruzione minuziosa con le note perfettamente inserite a far risaltare la voce di Sharon.
In I Learned The Hard Way, ultimo lavoro uscito nel 2010, il processo di costruzione del personaggio è compiuto. L'ascolto riporta ai tempi di Ike e Tina Turner e sembrerebbe, se non si avessero punti di riferimento temporali, che il disco sia effettivamente stato registrato all'inizio degli anni 70, quasi a Motown production (She Is not No Child No More, Better Things To Do and Give It Back seem typical pieces of Mot). The album is a sumptuous and magical shell, in which the voice of Sharon ago by Sybil and introduces the listener in acoustic temple built by Dap - Kings. Work just fine without any major surprises, positive and negative in it. A record which shows all the boldness and the security of a hard life.
The complete absence of surprises, as viewed in the total absence of sound and setting new tracks, was not well seen by critics. Some have read a repetition with the previous work rather than continuity with them. In fact, the record would seem to be very careful, a second or third part of an album double / triple with "Naturally" and "100". In fact, the second listening, you realize that I Learned The Hard Way has less soul and funk tones than previous albums and is a mature, continuatività of an evolutionary process and building a big star. The same star that you see challenging you the album cover. Sharon is a white dress, heels and head held high and look at the challenge who is looking behind him are the Dap - for the first time in frontpage and photography -, dark suit and red turtleneck. It is the inside of a New York court. Look out. Supporting the Jones and protect your back. The world is out and their is a challenge.
Good music.
Marco Assanti
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