Me and Sharon Jones, We Got a Thing Going On- Live at Summer Stage

Can I jam? Please. Just let me do my thing and jam right now.

I had no clue who Sharon Jones was prior to last Wednesday. And it was made very clear to me that I should have known who she, along with her band the Dap Kings were. And I'm kind of ashamed I was in darkness on this one. I mean, come on now, HowFresh is a man in the know. Food, music, kicks, nothing should get past the goalie pads. I must have been ogling some birds in the front row and the puck slid past me. Never again. Time to get my shit together.

So my sort of hippy, Packers fan friend put me on to her show at Central Park Summerstage on Sunday. I wasn't fully committed to it, but was in the city and after some early am hoops and early afternoon Shake Shack the kid was ready for some early evening grooves. You know that feeling you get when you take a shot at something and it's really dope. Extraordinarily surprised status. That's how I feel about this. As they say, real recognize real, ya dig? That's what Jimmy told me. Mark, good looking.



Her live show was dope. She demands your attention with her voice and stage presence. Rarely was she stationary, constantly moving to the beat, shaking, convulsing, jumping, the woman put in work. She is undoubtedly the female reincarnate of James Brown. True story. In her silver and black shiny dress, she slithered in the sunlight. And her band the Dap Kings. WOW. They keep that shit funky. Rarely does a live band sound that crisp, rich and vibrant. It's no wonder that they were hired for Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album. I also learned that several members of Dap-Kings, along with members of El Michels Affair, Antibalas, and Budos Band joined together to create The Menahan Street Band, responsible for Jigga's "Roc Boys" sample. I'll admit that I thought it was a sample from yesteryear, not 2007. The entire record is crazy, peep it below.



The fact that I wasn't familiar with any of her tunes didn't matter. The experience was what all concerts should be like. People enjoying themselves, not giving a fuck what anybody else thought. As that quote goes, "dance like nobody's watching." It's a beautiful thing when inhibitions are thrown out the window. Going to hip hop shows for 15 plus years, you rarely witness this. Looking cool and putting up that front is so commonplace that it's a shock to see people just letting loose and being free. Just jamming baby, just jamming.

Between this and driving through New Paltz on Saturday I think I'm becoming a hippy.

Puts the peace sign in the sky and throws on a little patchouli oil.

Here are 3 joint she's done over the years. I've been bumping the shit out of How Long... I haven't copped any albums yet, but I will. If you dig it, do the same.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- How Long do I Have to Wait for You?- 2004

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- I'm Not Going to Cry- 2007

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- Make It Good to Me- 2002


Menahan Street Band- Make The Road by Walking- 2007