Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings

Nick Pannu, Associate Staff Contributor
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings performed at the Commodore Ballroom as part of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

It has often been stated that attending a Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings concert is a good opportunity to have a lot of fun without getting arrested, and the June 26 show at the Commodore Ballroom was no exception. The stage’s energy permeated the entire ballroom as people came onstage to dance and others showcased their hip-hop antics on the dance floor. The crowd sang in unison as Jones belted out her funk tunes; no one was able to escape the allure. Even the more subdued couples were left in awe of Jones’ classic soul and funk rhythms. Yet there was an aspect of Sharon Jones’ performance that was unexpected and which blindsided the entire audience: her political rhetoric.

Upon setting foot on stage, Sharon Jones disclosed that soul is very much a part of her essence. She grew up in Augusta, Georgia – the birthplace of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. She asks everyone to pay tribute to James Brown and everyone complies with her request by chanting his name loudly. She then delves into issues that are a little more serious. She lets everyone know that not only was she influenced by soul during her upbringing, but that it’s also in her blood – her origins are Native and African American. She acknowledged the marginalisation suffered by both groups through slavery and genocide, and then started talking about New Orleans and George Bush. Her rants about George Bush were amusing, but brief. Quickly, she consolidated all her energy back into the funk and rhymes of her music.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings possess a unique combination of funk and soul that has almost become endangered within the realm of contemporary jazz. Jones’ soul roots are firmly entrenched through her early upbringing in Augusta, Georgia; growing up after in Brooklyn, she absorbed disco and funk styles. She sang back-up for a few prominent bands of the era. After taking almost a two-decade hiatus she reemerged with the Dap Kings. The Dap Kings never lived through the funk era of the ‘70s, but studied it extensively. Guitarist Binky Griptite, David Guy on trumpet, Neal Sugarman on saxophone, and other Dap King members utilise a diverse repertoire of classic soul instruments. Their style easily compliments and perhaps enhances Sharon Jones. The Dap Kings performed exclusively for the first hour and a half and were quite impressive. Binky Griptite sang lead while on various occasions trumpet player Dave Guy performed solo.

With no intention of showcasing anything substandard, the Vancouver Jazz Fest fulfilled its objective on June 26 when it hosted Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Commodore Ballroom. A year ago an audience of 90,000 at David Lam Park responded to Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings’ performance with a thundering ovation. Still resonating with jazz patrons who attended the event, it undoubtedly created a buzz with others who surely booked their tickets at the Commodore well in advance. Listening extensively to Sharon Jones’ albums, Naturally and Dap-Dippin’ one can easily become fixated on her music. Her live performances though are total euphoria; minor lighting problems and sound quality issues are easily eclipsed by the energy and passion that Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings evoke once they hit the stage.