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SHARON JONES was born and raised in James Brown's hometown of Augusta, Georgia. Like many great soul singers, including James himself and Aretha, Sharon began singing in church at a very young age. With her natural sense of showmanship, her talent soon brought her beyond the Sunday choir straight to center stage as the lead singer of more than one up-and-coming funk band. It wasn't long before she was being booked to perform with the top names in soul, including the Four Tops, Peaches and Herb, The Drifters, and Maceo Parker. During these years she quickly developed a mastery of her stage presence, learning how to use her smoky sweet voice to captivate audiences and bring them to the dance floor. It is this knack for working the crowd that has kept Sharon in demand with every kind of dance band. For those who don't know, we give you Sharon Jones.
Photo by Dulce Pinzon |
Where are you from?
Sharon is from Augusta, Georgia. Binky is from Milwaukee. TNT is from Staten Island. El, Dave, and Homer are from Manhattan. Bosco is from Riverside, California. Boogaloo is from Ecuador. The Sugarman is from Boston. But right now we are all getting down in Bushwick, Brooklyn and working our way straight to Soul Heaven.
What artist(s) inspired you to start playing music?
James Brown. Aretha. Fela. James Brown. Dyke and the Blazers. Leadbelly. The Meters. James Brown. Otis. Sam Cooke. The Isley Bros. The Soul Stirrers. James Brown. Ray Charles. The Staple Singers. James Brown. Darrell Banks. Sun House. Syl Johnson. Tyrone Davis. James Brown.
What was your first gig singing outside the church?
Singing with a local funk band in Augusta called Deja-Vu.
What is your most memorable performance?
It's hard to name just one. We've played some weird gigs in the last few years. One night we were at the Montreal Jazz Fest and there was just this ocean of people, thousands of them, and they were all moving together, just swaying with our beat like it was some great wind. A couple of days later we were in a back room of some little bar in Detroit on a makeshift stage that I think was balanced atop two pool tables. People were screaming and yelling and soul-clapping like we had just invented the Boogaloo. It was so sweaty. There were so many incredible gigs.
How is the funk and soul scene doing now compared to years past? Are there a
lot of great artists out there that are not widely known?
The funk and soul scene is growing steadily. All over the world we meet audiences that have more and more context for our music. There are now several groups and a handful of labels that are devoted to the more sincere sounds of soul and funk. Widely known? Not yet...
What are the crowds like at your shows abroad compared to the US? Do more
people know about you in Europe?
Overseas we have probably experienced something slightly closer to celebrity. The radio and culture over there seems to lend itself to a smaller divide between the mainstream and the underground. On the other hand people seem to dance better on this side of the pond. It don't make much difference anyway. Everybody's got a little bit of soul.
What's in the future for Sharon Jones?
Stardom.
Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings have a new record called Naturally coming out January 2005. This 45 entitled "How long do I have to wait for you?" is the first meaty dish on what is sure to be the soul and funk banquet of 2005! Give a listen to this soul workout and you will hear why the album is so hotly anticipated.
Listen to and order Naturally here!
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